While most of this book has been odd little things I do or think, this chapter is certainly not light hearted.
I've been volunteering at a local animal shelter since early March of this year. After my general orientation period, I took to socializing and caring for our cats and kittens. As a joke I'd tell friends I unofficially had at least 54 cats. I love all those kitties like they are my own children.
The shelter was kind of a safe place for me, but about two days ago I received an email from the shelter (Sent to all volunteers) alerting us that one of our cat rooms would be off limits as the cats inside had contracted a contagious illness. Later that day I came in for a course offered by a local animal hospital held there, but was found by a staff member. I hadn't realized how bad the illness was.
All they could tell me was that we lost at least one kitten that very same day. No one would tell me exactly how many we'd lost, but it is not a good situation. Being kitten season, we have some young cats that are not old enough to be vaccinated against this one illness (Feline Distemper). I'm nearly certain we will lose many of the cats/kittens who were being quarantined inside.
These are my babies, yet they are dying with myself rendered unable to prevent it. I can't even hold them or comfort them as they go. Needless to say, I will be staying away from the shelter to distance myself from this harsh reality. Right now everything is broken...
