Sep 13, 2014 3 min read

My husband and I own and live on a working farm. We currently have about 60 head of beef cattle among various other farm animals. This summer I was in need of a few kittens to replace older ones who have died. I made three trips to the Washington Area Humane Society and was told on all three trips that they had no kittens. During the week of Aug. 18, I read in the classified section of the Observer-Reporter that the Greene County Humane Society was having an Adopt-o-thon for cats and kittens at PetSmart in Washington on Aug. 23. I drove directly from my job in Allegheny County to Washington, cat carrier in hand. Upon arrival, I was given a two-page application to fill out. I was very surprised at the numerous questions and the type of questions asked. I had to recheck to make sure this wasn’t an application for a human child. I had to give two references, my place of employment and was asked questions like, “How many hours will the pet be alone?”

Now, in the beginning of time, animals of every sort were created and were given a purpose on this Earth. I believe cats were created to keep the population of mice, moles, etc., under control. Over times, cats have become pets also. Both occupations are great and both needed. I am in need of barn cats to keep the mouse population under control from eating all the baling twine from square bales of hay laboriously baled all summer. The few cats that reside in the barn currently were dropped off by “well-meaning” persons. Why do these people drop off unwanted kittens at farms? I believe because they know the cats will be well taken care of. All my cats and two dogs are spayed and neutered. All my cats were “drop-offs,” and I personally took them to Animal Friends in Pittsburgh for their procedures. My cats are fed quality cat food every day and live in the barn. They have done this for 25 years. I have two large dogs who live in harmony with the cats because they were raised together. I am a responsible and very good animal owners.

The people at Greene County Humane Society told me at the Adopt-o-thon that the applications would be reviewed and I would be contacted in two or three days. When I called about my adoptions, I was told that they had been turned down because I was going to keep my cats outside. They only put up cats for adoption to people who will keep them inside. If I am not correct, I read an editorial in the Observer-Reporter the week of Aug. 25 on how overrun the Greene County Humane Society is with cats and kittens. I tried to help both them and myself, and was unsuccessful.

Patricia Stritzinger

Burgettstown