Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Power corrupts. Cat lady power corrupts absolutely.

You might think that anyone who cares enough to volunteer for an animal rescue group would be, at the very least, reasonably civil to his or her fellow rescuers. However, this seems to be the exception rather than the rule. And some of the higher-profile groups seem to be especially adept at chasing volunteers away.

Two in particular - both blessed by our friends at DAS* - have treated their volunteers so horribly that they actually make jokes about starting a new group comprised entirely of ex-volunteers. For example, I've heard the phrase Feral Friends Rejects mentioned several times, always followed with giggles.

Perhaps one of the most mystifying cat lady harridans out there is in charge of her group's Trap/Neuter/Release efforts. This group occasionally offers free spays and neuters, but anyone who shows up with a trapped stray or feral has to run the gauntlet of the Harridan in Charge. My ex hated to recommend the group to anyone, because no matter how carefully they followed the rules, they risked verbal abuse from the Harridan in Charge upon arrival.

4 comments:

PJBoosinger said...

"Feral Friends Rejects"

I just think that's a WONDERFUL idea. With a motto to help ferals along with refusing to stoop to intolerance and nastiness.

Whether genetic or learned or a little of each, we women don't generally do "team" well. I find it helps to know that so one can be cognizant of it; also like it to be an open for discussion topic with no hard feelings for mere discussion. When I just had cats, I was more fiercely independent. Now up to 3 cats and 4 dogs and have learned that teamwork, hierarchies, clear rules, etc. are all my BEST friends!

Feline Provocateur said...

I suppose one could always surmise that some people relate better to animals than other people, but it can't be that hard to get along with others.

PJBoosinger said...

"it can't be that hard to get along with others"
That's what I always thought and then I did a stint on my condo board... thought I'd been dropped into the middle of High School Bad Girls... and then I moved to the boonies!

And it isn't just women by any means; society seems to have gotten generally "nastier" than it was 20, 30, 40 years ago.

Kelley said...

It can't be that hard to get along with others..oh dear...you have not been involved in rescue politics, have you? You lucky person, you.