Two Kittens Purr Price of One
by Sara Hensel
It’s that time of year… Christmas is almost here and I know I’ve already been stressing about finding the perfect gifts for those I love. How convenient that Atlanta’s Humane Society is having a “two purr one” deal: buy one kitten, get one free! A few months ago I met a fluffy, black kitten named Enoky at the shelter and after a week of visits my boyfriend surprised me with her (her name is Evie now). He went with a friend who also got a kitten for his girlfriend and they were able to take advantage of this “sale”. What a deal; two adorable, warm little fuzz balls for $85 and two very happy girls.
Evie
The great thing about the Atlanta Humane Society is once you pay the $85 adoption fee everything else is taken care of. Evie, though she was only two months old, came to me spayed, up to date on her vaccinations, de-wormed, micro-chipped, and with a month of guaranteed free vet visits no matter what the reason. This definitely helped me out as Evie did catch a little kitty cold which, though easily treated, could have run me at least $100. Also, not only are the vet visits free for the first month, but any medication needed for recovery is as well. Also, if you do adopt a pet and for some reason find that it doesn’t work out, Atlanta Humane Society will take your pet back and continue to try to find it the right home.
Though the Atlanta Humane Society has their own vet office, they are affiliated with Pets Are People Too Veterinary Hospital which is where I was told to take my kitten. Pets Are People Too, located on Piedmont Ave, was nothing but a positive experience. I was surprised at how helpful and caring they were, especially when they knew they weren’t getting any of my money. Besides participating in this program, they have very reasonable prices and if you let them know how much you have to spend they are more than willing to work with you. They are also open 24 hours! I was quick to make them my official vet for all three of my cats.
If you already have a pet and need assistance with vet bills there is help for you too! Spay Georgia has a program called “Fix em Free” for Fulton County residents which I participated in with my other two cats. It’s a simple program; all you have to do is request a voucher, wait for approval (it took about two weeks), select one of the 105 vet clinics available, and then make an appointment to be seen. Altogether the process took three to four weeks and my two cats were spayed/neutered, de-wormed, and given their shots – all for free!
My Cats
With all that said, pets aren’t for everyone. There really isn’t much that makes me more sad than seeing a dead cat (or any animal for that matter) on the side of the road. If you live anywhere near a road with any sort of traffic and you think that you might have a hard time containing a cat (or dog) indoors, perhaps getting a pet isn’t a good idea. Living by myself, my cats are my constant companions. They are hours of entertainment and have even inspired several of my short stories. However, they are a whole lot of work and they are constantly making messes. While I think almost anyone would enjoy a well-behaved pet, it does take a lot of time, energy, and money which is not something everyone has to offer.
If you do decide to get a pet this holiday season, either for yourself or for someone you love, please make sure to be responsible. These babies, especially many from shelters, have already had rough lives and really deserve nothing but the most comfortable, loving home.
The Atlanta Humane Society is open seven days a week, Monday-Friday 11-7, and Saturdays and Sundays 10-6. They are located on 10th St. and Howell Mill Rd.
http://www.atlantahumane.org/who/directions.asp
404.875.5331 (main)
404.875.6420 (clinic)
