Evening star., 1947-03-20
This and That
By Charles E. Trace1Delz
SILVER SPRING MD

SILVER SPRING, Md.
Dear Sir:
Il do wish you'd say something in your
column about these self styled, soft
, hearted folks who Just can't bear to
send their pets to the pound when they
get tired of them.
They pick a likely looking suburb
and dump their dog or cat and think
surely they will find good home. What
they don't seem to realize is that people
In the suburbs are very busy living up
to the American idea of typical family
and that includes great deal of propa-
ganda on dogs.
The average suburbanites automati-
cally acquire dog with their child,
whether they need or like dogs It's
supposed to be the proper thing to do,
so they do it-don't even bother to train
the dog to be other than nuisance.
consequently, dumped dog has no
chance in the suburbs and is shouted
at, stoned and starved and run ragged
by his own kind.
If he isn't killed one way or another,
he turns wild and ends up being shot,
And I, for one, am tired Of feeding
and bedding these pitifu1 strays. They
make me sick to look at and can't
stand the stupidity of any animal that
continues to be loyal to a person re-
gardless of its treatment. Give me the
pride and independence of a cat!
Sincerely, R. A."
\ X X
There is great deal in what our
correspondent says, but you never can
tell; sometimes a dumped" animal
does find good home.
This is no justification, of course, for
the practice. The case simply shows
how generalizations may not always be
correct.
We have in mind one, Leggy, long
legged tiger cat with head and shoulders
of tiger and lack of good red blood
from too little food and care.
He was let out, evidently, in a sub
urban community in nearby Maryland.
While there is no knowing exactly
how or where he came from, certain
evidences point to his being thrust out.
Fortunately for him, he picked the
right family. He simply walked into
the garden one Sunday afternoon and
sat down.
One minute, he was not there, the
next he was, and he has been there ever
since, making himself thoroughly at
home, both at this home and in the
neighborhood.
He is gentle and affectionate, with a
special liking for children. Despite his
fierce appearance, he is as gentle as a
lamb. He likes nothing so well as COM,
ing into circle of small fry, and never
xxyS,o tIn1y
do to him.
One night in early December he got
into great fight.
Thereafter he sought shelter indoors,
a risky business for the householders,
since he had never been used to a
house, evidently.
1t developed that his desire to live
inside was motivated by five bites on
a hind leg.
These swelled until medical aid was
necessary.
Leggys friends sent him to hospital,
where he remained three weeks. Resi-
dence in a modern hospital costs for
animals as well as humans.
Cats often refuse to eat in q hospital,
so when the big cat came back he had
lost much weight.
His friends-perhaps we should whis-
per this-turned over the spare bed
room to him.
He was coaxed and petted. He had
a blanket to lie on and medicine and
care, but he again refused to eat.
His mouth and tongue were white
instead of pink.
Then folio acid, the newest synthe-
tized vitamin, was put to work. Three
day of these tiny yellow tablets put
Leggy back on his legs in three days.
His mouth turned pink and he began
to eat voraciously. His coat became
silky almost overnight. He gained a
pound and a half in five days and was
as frisky as kitten.
Looking at him and thinking Of his
history. 1t is impossible to believe that
all dumped" animals come to bad ends.