Letter from Mary Calhoun about Human Indifference and Cruelty to Animals - 6 Nov 2005
Letters From All-Creatures.org and The Mary T. and Frank L. Hoffman Family Foundation

Letter from Mary Calhoun about Human Indifference and Cruelty to Animals - 6 Nov 2005

I found your sight when searching for the verse that supports where God gave man the gift of being caretaker of His creation, including the animals. I am a disabled shut-in woman who loves animals. I feed several stray kitties at my back door. Another lady who has a feline rescue ministry, she catches the kitties, has them fixed and given rabies shots, and releases them to their surroundings to live their lives out, recently did this for my kitties. I was so very thankful.

Two doors down lives a man who HATES animals. He calls the City Pound weekly to set out traps and catch cats. He did this on the heels of the good ministry she did for me. I confronted him and told him the cats were safe and had their shots, were no harm to him or his family. He didn't care, didn't want the cats crossing his yard. He had confronted the lady behind him a year before. She told me he told her to build a fence to keep them in her yard. Was very hateful to her. He told me he would set out traps till he caught ever single cat in the neighborhood whether they were someone's pet or not. He simply doesn't care. The shocking sadness of all of this is the man is a preacher, a Reverend. He's been a very poor witness for Jesus around this neighborhood!!

He was terribly rude to me, knows my health condition and what I've been through. I had to use my last $15.00 to get my cat out of the pound. When I did so, it took me two weeks to get her feet to heal up. They were all infected from her trying to dig out of the cages. Now she has a horrible cold from the experience. Last week I went back for another cat. He's terrified, underneath a table in the kitchen. His feet are in terrible shape as well. I'm cleaning them and putting antibiotic ointment on them. The outdoor kitties, well, I have collars and ID tags on two out of eight cats. The others won't let me close enough to put collars on them.

And today I saw ANOTHER City Pound truck pull up to the house behind me. They, too, are doing the same thing!! Seems he's gone to them and complained and stirred them up as well.

I have systemic lupus along with many other illnesses. My doctor said to prevent unnecessary stress as it causes many flares which cause internal damage. I've already been in the hospital this past week from the horrible stress I've been under. I'm single, never married, have been disabled for several years, and housebound for two years now. I live in a nice neighborhood. although the place I live in is falling apart (old townhouse). The neighbors I live around are well to do and don't associate with poor disabled people. Seems out town has made the sick as disposable as animals. Animals here are thrown away, and so are people. They just don't care.

If the City pound would charge these people, they wouldn't call them to come out, Especially John Reese.

I just want to be able to live my life out in peace, no matter how short it may be. I would also like to make life for them peaceful and safe as well. It is my greatest desire to move to the country, create a Cat Sanctuary where cats could come, be fixed and have shots, and live their lives away from people. Set up like a non-profit so that it would continue to run even after I'm gone to Heaven. But when you live on a fixed disability and your income goes to 23 prescription medications (none are covered by Medicaid in Alabama), that dream is unattainable.

I just don't know what to do. I'm trapped just like those poor feline lives. I DO believe in the power of prayer. Please pray for protection over my kitties, myself . And please pray for a change of heart for Chip and Susan George and a miracle change of heart for John Reese.

Thank you for allowing me to share this.

Mary Calhoun

Reply from Frank and Mary Hoffman

Dear Mary:

Thank you very much for writing. We're sorry to hear about your personal problems and those of the kitties.

Unfortunately, this pastor is all too typical, and as you say, lives an ungodly way of life full of hatreds and fear, rather than the love and compassion of Jesus Christ. This type of person usually has an unteachable spirit, and it is probably better to bypass him and concentrate on protecting the kitties.

Can your friend, who had the feral cats spayed and neutered, find a safe place to relocate these cats? We would also suggest that you have an enclosed outside area for your cats so that they don't have a chance to get into this man's yard. Maybe she or a local group can help with this.

In the Love of the Lord,

Frank and Mary

---

Return to: Letters