[Soft*Silver]

Recently, I have gotten involved in animal rescue. I’ve always helped animals throughout my life. But the older I got, the less I was able to chase a dog down the highway, or traipse through Woods looking for feral kitties.
A few days ago a very hurt and sickly cat ran into my house seeking shelter. Before I could get the crate to put it in to take it to the vet, it ran back out. I have been setting out live traps, but was able to just walk up and pick it up when I saw it on the road. I took it to the vet. He was a fine older gentleman of a cat, who had once been someone’s pet. But he was covered in maggots from head to toe, horribly infested with worms and fleas and ticks. His tail was degloved and needed amputated. He had an open wound above his eye and beneath his ear. He had a severe upper respiratory infection, and was feline leukemia, positive.
Why do people discard their cats? This sweet old man did not deserve this. As I was talking to the police officers involved, making a decision to euthanize him, this dear dear animal, lay down his head and died.
*
So today as I’m drinking my coffee out in my garden enjoying my life, I’m thinking about the suffering beyond the garden…