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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / December 2005Cat In Trouble - Woman Arrested
A woman dialed 911 here in Houston when her cat was trapped in a drain. They wouldn't send out anyone to rescue the cat so the woman (a single mother) called 911 again and this time said, "My 2-year-old baby is trapped in a drain" (note: her cat's name *IS* "Baby" and he's 2). They sent rescuers out and since they were already there they did deign to rescue the cat. But today a warrant has been issued for the mother and she will be arrested for submitting a false report to police. She faces up to 100 days jail time and some hefty fines. Bah! Humbug!!! Hugs, CatNipped I would not worry about it HSUS, ASPCA and the media will get involved and tear up that police department >A woman dialed 911 here in Houston when her cat was trapped in a drain. > They wouldn't send out anyone to rescue the cat so the woman (a single [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > CatNipped > A woman dialed 911 here in Houston when her cat was trapped in a > drain. They wouldn't send out anyone to rescue the cat so the woman [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > CatNipped IDIOTS... our cats *are* our babies. But on the flip side... (there is always a flip side)... I worked with a woman who owned 5 cats. She constantly used them as a reason not to come to work. Had to take cat#whatever to the vet. Cat#whatever escaped and she had to find him/her. She tripped over cat#whatever on the stairs and had to go to the doctor. You get the picture. She finally got fired and came back to get her personal stuff from her cubicle *in the company of the police* (who rolled their eyes) saying she "Didn't feel safe" going to the office without an escort. Huh. We aren't talking an abusive ex- here, we are talking a former EMPLOYER. Did she think we were going to beat her? Keep her from getting her belongings? How silly was this? After that, she started calling her former office telephone number and leaving obscene messages for the poor new guy who inherited her old phone number. He was shocked. He played the messages for us on speaker and when we heard her voice we all said, "OMG, that's ***!" We used our phone system software to burn the messages to a CD as evidence in case she did something really nutty later on. Anyway, last time she was ever seen/heard of by any of us, she was on the local news. Still had her 5 cats and was living in a cheap motel that rented by the month (sad) but one of her cats got out and got trapped in a drainage pipe. She expected the landlord of the property to dig up the drain pipe to get the cat out. The landlord might well have done so if she'd asked nicely, but given the fact that she was a lunatic, I doubt she asked nicely. She was probably shrieking at the guy. So instead she called the news. When they ran the story, she looked nuts and they portrayed her as such, which isn't what she was going for. Sadly, I don't know if they got the cat out... I suspect they did, hopefully after they hauled her in for a psych evaluation and arranged for the care of her other 4 cats. I *do* know she shouldn't be allowed to have cats. Jill > But on the flip side... (there is always a flip side)... > I worked with a woman who owned 5 cats. She constantly used them as a [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > She finally got fired ... Well that kind of behavior goes on in offices all across America and the people doing it don't get fired. Except it's not their pets they are taking to the doctor, tripping over or looking for. It's ... THE CHILDREN. Meanwhile, those of us who are child free have to pick up the slack at work. Face it, an errand is an errand, whether you are taking your pet to the vet or your kid to the dentist. I look the other way when Sarah down the hall calls in because her kid's sick and the day care won't take him. She can look the other way when my cat needs to go to the vet. </rant> And accept my apologies for hijacking this thread. HLS >> But on the flip side... (there is always a flip side)... >> I worked with a woman who owned 5 cats. She constantly used them as [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > HLS No problem... I've experienced that too often over the years as well. One woman at my last job was notorious for getting a phone call after lunch saying she needed to go get her daughter for some reason. How convenient; sure, take the rest of the afternoon off. <snort> At this place of employ, it was a lovely custom on the day before a major U.S. holiday, the office would shut down at 1PM. At one point several years ago, the dept. manager decided someone needed to stay behind on the days we closed early to deal with emergencies. We rotated those days among the department staff. But then it came time for K* to stay behind on Christmas Eve. K* had children. I didn't. So it was *strongly suggested* I might switch with him and get to leave early the day before Independence Day the next year instead, since I don't have children. The implication was, I don't have children so I can't possibly have plans. What if he would rather leave early in July to go on a picnic or something? He liked to take his kids camping. K* told me he didn't care either way, but management pressured me so I said okay. Didn't want to look like the bad gal here. But inside, I was seething. To me it was all very descriminatory against people without children. (stepping off soapbox) Jill > The implication was, I don't have children so I can't possibly have plans. > What if he would rather leave early in July to go on a picnic or something? > He liked to take his kids camping. K* told me he didn't care either way, > but management pressured me so I said okay. Didn't want to look like the > bad gal here. But inside, I was seething. To me it was all very > descriminatory against people without children. I haven't minded teaching a few classes for my supervising professor because he's got kids, one of whom was hospitalized for a week in October. I don't mind picking up the slack when he's rushing his kid to the hospital. But I certainly hope he'd be as sympathetic if I had to rush my cat to the vet. ** I personally believe that things like dentist appointments and such should be scheduled at times where they don't interfere with school, or at the very least at times when a working parent can make prior arrangements (like a day off, or have a friend or relative pick up the kid, take them to the appointment, and return them to school, or if their partner doesn't work 9-5 Mon-Fri, then they shoudl be the one taking the kid to the appointment) to do it so that it does not interfere with their work schedule. --Fil "Enfilade" <decepticoncommand@hotmail.com> wrote in message > I personally believe that things like dentist appointments and such > should be scheduled at times where they don't interfere with school, or [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > --Fil As a practical matter, if all the children who have two 9 to 5 working parents were to do this, just what are the pediatricians and children's dentists supposed to do with the rest of their day? In the real world children's parents often work. And employers and co-workers really do need to get used to the idea. That said, if you schedule far enough ahead, you can often get 8am appointments for routine things and just get to work a bit later. It causes less disruption for most jobs than leaving mid day or early. And don't forget 9 to 5 is usually more like 8 to 5 plus overtime and a commute both ways. If you don't allow people some flexibility they are gonna go nuts. Whether its for kids or cats or just a pedicure once in a while. Jo > As a practical matter, if all the children who have two 9 to 5 working > parents were to do this, just what are the pediatricians and children's > dentists supposed to do with the rest of their day? <G> Right. I really think it's not a case of cats or children, it's a case of adults. Adults sometimes need a bit of flexibility in their work for medical appointments or similar things and some adults, given a little flexibility, will take off regularly at the busiest time of day at their job to get their hair done. I try to be in the group that, if possible, schedules medical and vet appointments (and haircuts!) during my off hours, or take annual leave time, approved in advance. But sometimes I've needed a bit of flexibility. To be honest, almost everyone I've ever worked with has had children, and a great number of them have had pets, and I've encountered very few who took advantage of that for time off. And the ones who did, I strongly suspect, would have done exactly the same thing if they hadn't had children or pets. They'd just have needed another excuse. I have to take the car to the garage. I've got an awful headache (that always hits me on Fridays at noon) etc. Mind you, if someone had pressured me to give up my Christmas Eve break because someone else had children, I'd have pretended not to get the hint. But if I'd been asked by the parent as a favour to switch, I'd probably have gone along with the request as long as I hadn't already made a committment for that time. It's all in how these things are approached.  SignatureCheryl > I really think it's not a case of cats or children, it's a case > of adults. Adults sometimes need a bit of flexibility in their [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > take annual leave time, approved in advance. But sometimes I've > needed a bit of flexibility. Same here. I picked a vet that has evening hours, and Dr appts for myself are scheduled at the earliest they can get me in. That said, there was a several month period of time when my cat Shadow had a feeding tube and his first week with it I took leave because he was so sick and I would have lost him then if I didn't. After I went back to work, my boss was flexible enough (and it helps that she's an animal lover) to let me go home at lunch time (an hour commute each way) to feed him, and even still leave about 1/2 hour early to get home in time to feed him again. This went on for 2 months! Plus, weekly vet appointments to check his progress, and a couple of emergencies. [...] > Mind you, if someone had pressured me to give up my Christmas > Eve break because someone else had children, I'd have pretended > not to get the hint. But if I'd been asked by the parent as a > favour to switch, I'd probably have gone along with the request > as long as I hadn't already made a committment for that time. > It's all in how these things are approached. It's a tough one. Everyone's time is precious. With "kids holidays" such as Halloween - I've covered for co-workers with younger kids so they can go home early and do their make-overs. It's for the kids! :) SignatureCheryl > As a practical matter, if all the children who have two 9 to 5 working > parents were to do this, just what are the pediatricians and children's > dentists supposed to do with the rest of their day? > > In the real world children's parents often work. And employers and > co-workers really do need to get used to the idea. Most of the people I know do not work 9-5 Monday to Friday. When you work evening or night shifts, you invariably have daytime free, and since you would get at least one night off a week, you can stay awake longer, do your errands when the sun is out, and have the evening to sleep. When you work weekends, you get at least one weekday off work. When you are self-employed, your hours are more flexible. You can start work after your errands and work longer into the evening. When you work part-time, you have time available between 9 and 5 at /some/ point of the week. Ideally, these people would take their appointments 9-5 Mon-Fri, allowing those people who DO work 9-5 Mon-Fri to have the few Saturday and after-hours slots available. --Fil > Most of the people I know do not work 9-5 Monday to Friday. But how common is this? I don't think I know anyone who doesn't work some variation of regular hours (9-5, 8-4, + overtime etc) if you don't count people I meet *because* they work shifts, like store clerks. I don't know anyone who is self-employed - no, that's a lie, I know two people, but one by the nature of her work is pretty tied to the usual working hours, and the other alternates between being off all the time, and working all the time. SignatureCheryl > > Most of the people I know do not work 9-5 Monday to Friday. > > But how common is this? Hmm, I don't know. I really don't know what the percentage of 9-5 vs odd hours is. If there is a large majority working 9-5, then I'm willing to concede that there woudln't be enough evening and Saturday appointments and people would HAVE to take days off or half-days off to go to doctor/dentist/etc. Looking at my family: Mother: worked 9-5 Mon-Fri until retirement Father: self-employed Mother in law: shift work Father in law: self-employed Brother in law 1: works night shifts Brother in law 2: works some Saturdays and Sundays, getting weekdays off work Best friend: Works 9-5 but Thurs-Mon, having all Tues and Weds off work University best friend: shift work High school best friend: Works some saturdays and sundays, getting weekdays off Grade school best friend: Works part-time Husband of GS best friend: Self-employed Out of the 11 people I know best, only one works 9-5 Mon-Fri. Of course, that doesn't mean most of society, just my circle...explaining my opinon, which I'll gladly concede should it NOT reflect most of society. --Fil >> > Most of the people I know do not work 9-5 Monday to Friday. >> [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > > --Fil Just one comment then I'm going to drop out of this conversation as I'm getting more argumentative than I feel. If you live in an area that doesn't have "rush hour" every morning and afternoon, than you are not typical of a lot of the country. If you do, that should serve as some evidence of the number of people that do work "regular hours" Jo > If you live in an area that doesn't have "rush hour" every morning and > afternoon, than you are not typical of a lot of the country. If you do, > that should serve as some evidence of the number of people that do work > "regular hours" I certainly apologize if I did hit any nerves. That wasn't my intention. I really /don't/ know how things are in many areas, particularly America, as I grew up in a very rural area of Canada. I certainly think people need to put their children before their job if their children are seriously ill. And I understand that it is not always possible to get appointments outside of 9-5 hours, and that some people (like single parents or when both parents are working 9-5) have to take time off work to go to those appointments. But I've also been greatly annoyed by people who schedule appointments at their convenience and don't give a damn about others who are relying on them, when those things are not emergencies. --Fil > Most of the people I know do not work 9-5 Monday to Friday. I will however say this--I do have sympathy for parents who have to take their kids out of school to go to appointments during the day because that is the only time they can take them, ie, if they work most evenings and weekends and the kids are in school Mon-Fri. My parents were very strict about not allowing me to miss school. My mom got angry at my cadet squadron commander because I was supposed to lead teh squadron at Remembrance Day and she didnt' want me out of school. I finally was allowed to lead the squadron, but my dad picked me up after and took me right back to school (while the rest of the squadron had a party). --Fil >> Most of the people I know do not work 9-5 Monday to Friday. > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > --Fil Isn't Rememberance Day a day off school? I always did the cadet thing on that day but never missed any school because of it. Maybe it's different in BC. -- Britta "There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast." -- Unknown Check out pictures of Vino at: http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album > Isn't Rememberance Day a day off school? I always did the cadet thing > on that day but never missed any school because of it. Maybe it's > different in BC. Not in Ontario. The province figured that most kids used the day off to goof off instead of going to ceremonies; therefore, it stopped being a day off, and instead the morning was devoted to ceremonies and the afternoon was regular classes. Also in Ontario, all the stores etc. are open on Nov 11. I know it used to be a day off, but that was before my recollection (ie, they changed it by at least 1983.) --Fil >but management pressured me so I said okay. Didn't want to look like the >bad gal here. But inside, I was seething. To me it was all very >descriminatory against people without children. > >(stepping off soapbox) As I used to tell my bosses: You mean I'm being cheated because *I* know how to use *birth control*??? heehee Jane >A woman dialed 911 here in Houston when her cat was trapped in a drain. > They wouldn't send out anyone to rescue the cat so the woman (a single [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > CatNipped Quite. Have to say in UK, the fire brigade would have attended to get cat out. Cheers, helen s Firefighter here will respond but only if there is no emergency in progress. I would be contacting a lawyer and the media and heads would roll >>A woman dialed 911 here in Houston when her cat was trapped in a drain. >> They wouldn't send out anyone to rescue the cat so the woman (a single [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Cheers, helen s >> A woman dialed 911 here in Houston when her cat was trapped in a drain. >> They wouldn't send out anyone to rescue the cat so the woman (a single [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Quite. Have to say in UK, the fire brigade would have attended to get > cat out. Some places in the U.S., too - but apparently Houston isn't one of them! > A woman dialed 911 here in Houston when her cat was trapped in a drain. > They wouldn't send out anyone to rescue the cat Isn't this what Animal Control is for? They're usually a department of the police. Or maybe they only deal with troublesome and threatening animals? They were the folks who dealt with the pitbulls who attacked Smudge. They were very slow in responding, and these were dogs that could have presented a danger to people, especially children. So maybe they wouldn't rescue a stuck cat, I don't know. Seems like there should be municipal departments that are dedicated to such rescues, but as with everything else, there's usually not enough money. Joyce |
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