Second Chance: The Cat Cave

05 Mar Second Chance: The Cat Cave

With all the fervor over the current construction of our new Dog Den we felines, far superior beings to the slobbering obnoxious dogs, have been feeling a bit cast in the shadows. Although cats did get a huge upgrade when Second Chance moved out here to Angel Ridge Ranch 2.5 years ago, going from sharing very cramped quarters with the dogs under our feet, to our very own Ranch House).That said, the new dogs’ digs were starting to outshine ours.

Well, that is a changing…

TINKERBELL

But first let me tell you what has not changed.  As always when you come to meet the adoptable cats at Second Chance, you can go hang out in the large rooms where mini-colonies of cats lounge about or literally climb the walls on a wall-mounted obstacle course that allows us run and jump and be cats. Here you can get to know the cats as they rub against your leg or crawl into your lap. Also, because all cats do not like to live communally, some are still in individual kennels – but you can pull them out and meet them as well.

Now for the fun part. After much paw stomping and tail swishing, the demands of shelter cats have finally been met! We now have two outdoor enclosures that allow us to safely go outside at our leisure! One of the main goals in the animal sheltering industry today is to create a nurturing and low-stress environment. That keeps shelter pets healthy and happy and increases our adoption rates exponentially. Nothing like breathing fresh air, feeling the sun on our backs, and wind in our hair to boost our immune systems!

OUTDOOR CAT CAVE

The indoor vs outdoor cat debate is one that will likely continue for as long as humans have the capacity for independent thought. Although some animal welfare organizations have taken a strong stance on one side of the door or the other, Second Chance maintains a more neutral stance because the answer is not a simple. The issue needs to be approached on a cat-by-case basis. considering a cat’s age, history, health, breed and/or color, temperament, environment, and other risk vs quality of life factors.  We will talk about this in greater detail in an upcoming Pet Column.

COMMUNAL ROOM FOR CATS AT SECOND CHANCE

But for now…I will close by introducing myself as a strong candidate for adoption. Although I am only 12 weeks young, I have been homeless twice in my short life and am seeking a committed long-term relationship made of love and trust and pixie dust.  My name is Tinkerbell.

“When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.” ― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Pssst, my name is Chelsey and I wanted to counter Tinkerbell’s thoughts with a few of my own. The Dog Den is going to be awesome! I am a fun-loving two-year-young Bull mix, who loves to play ball with people and other dogs. The Dog Den will totally be a great place to play and, although I hope I am adopted before it is done, I do know it will make a huge difference for other homeless dogs…

CHELSEY

Editor’s note: It’s no secret. The Telluride region is dog heaven. Well, pet heaven. Unless you are one of our furry friends who gets caught in the maw of neglect and abuse. Then heaven is on hold until Second Chance Humane Society comes to the rescue. Second Chance is the region’s nonprofit dedicated to saving animals’ lives and promoting responsible pet parenting and human-animal bond. In her weekly blog, executive director Kelly Goodin profiles at least one, generally two of the many animals now living at the no-kill shelter, Angel Ridge Shelter, a dog and a cat, hoping to find them loving permanent homes. The column is sponsored by Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch & Kennel, who from time to time exercises his skills as a dog whisperer, partnering with Kelly and her staff to help train a particularly challenging animal.

Ted Hoff & friend