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ADMIN Notices - Proof that animals end up in landfills

***Replace all XXX references with your local group name***

A message from one Freecycle(TM) member to another...
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Dear Freecycle(TM) Member,

As animal lovers and supporters ourselves, we understand your concerns, but we also know that offering pets on Freecycle gives people another option, especially if they don't have the time or interest to do the research on no-kill shelters, or post the pet in the newspaper and interview potential adopters, or try their luck at posting their pet on PetFinder ( www.petfinder.com ) or other online 'forums' and wait to hear from potential adopters and then work out the logistics. The other choices for people are to just dump their unwanted animals on the side of the road, in the trash, or at 'kill' shelters.

We adopted our kitty through Freecycle. The family had only had him 5 days and discovered terrible allergies to him. They were desperate! They could not find any other place to accept the cat, as all the no-kill shelters, and foster cat people were all full.

Our Freecycle bunny would have suffered a fateful death, too. The owner's children had lost interest in the "Easter" bunny, and the family was going through personal and financial troubles. Freecycle was their last hope to find a quick home for their bunny... or they would have 'freed' their domesticated pet rabbit, to fend for itself into the woods!

Pets do have a place on Freecycle. Not everyone can afford the upfront costs of adopting a pet. Adopting a pet through an online forum can cost $75-$125.00 for a cat. And that doesn't include the other start up costs once you get the pet home. A vet visit, follow-up vaccines, grooming/flea removal, medicines, de-worming, litter-boxes, food, dishes, grooming supplies, toys, etc... and spaying and neutering, if it hasn't been done already.

Finally, in response to your comment that animals do not end up in landfills... you may be surprised to know that, yes, animals do get tossed into landfills every day all over the country. Please read below...

Cremation is quite expensive and not all animal shelter/cities can afford it:

"The dead animals are piled in 4-foot high bins, rolled into a freezer and picked up on weekdays by trucks from the Pet Crematory Agency in West Babylon, L.I.", said manager Michael Mytko. His company operates two animal-cremation ovens eight hours a day - burning 600 pounds of dogs and cats an hour - for the CACC and other shelters. The company is paid about $158,000 a year by the city Sanitation Department."

So yes, animals CAN and DO end up in landfills. We are doing our very best to do our part, one bit at a time.

Regards,
Your XXX Freecycle Moderators
XXX-owner@yahoogroups.com