Couple crosses ocean for purrr-fect kitten

msnbc ^ | Sun., May 17, 2009

[JoeProBono]

After a ton of paperwork, Londoners head back across Atlantic with Sparky: HARRISON, Michigan - A British couple traveled nearly 4,000 miles to adopt "Sparky," a black-and-white kitten in central Michigan. Rose and Chris Rasmussen discovered Sparky on Petfinder.com last year and decided to adopt him. The couple traveled from their suburban London home to the Clare County Animal Shelter in Harrison, where the kitten was an unofficial mascot. They could have had Sparky shipped, but instead decided to make the trip as an adventure, visiting Detroit and Chicgao before showing up to adopt their new pet. After paperwork, quarantine and other final checks, the Rasmussens were to take Sparky to his new home.

[JoeProBono]

[TheOldLady]

I went to the link, but it’s as if the story ends abruptly with more to say. There’s what’s here, a small ad, and then some more info, but it just seems truncated.

Anyway, if they’re taking a cat to the United Kingdom, they still have a three-month quarantine to wait through before they get to take their little darling home.

And with this cat’s tuxedo personality, how long are they going to put up with him?

I suspect that they wanted an American vacation and used Sparky as an added attraction.

[TheOldLady]

"Eh?"

JoeProBono is making one of his 1000-word statements, this time about the way some celebrities treat third-world children.

[TheOldLady]

Coy cat? Copy cat? Cat hunting Koi?

[Fresh Wind]

...instead decided to make the trip as an adventure, visiting Detroit and Chicgao...

Yes, I could see how visiting Detroit could be an adventure. Chicgao I've never heard of though. It might be an adventure just trying to find it.

[JoeProBono]

robots on the streets of chicgao

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1303303086066492436XOXxwV

[TheOldLady]

Thank you for the ping and the Youtube link about the HSUS. Word needs to get out about those dirty frauds. Too bad the news story didn’t mention their links to PETA. I thought it was particularly egregious that they took in $120 million in 2007 and spent $112 million on “huge salaries, lobbyists, and political causes.” And we know whose politics they espouse.

[CottonBall]

While I have your attention, a word of warning about what HSUS does with donations. (Link thanks to Salamander.)

I quit donating to them a long time ago when I kept receiving uselss and unwanted items from them when they hit me up for yet more donations. I figured they spent almost all I sent them on these items and postage and none of it went to any animals. Plus, I found out many of their administrators made well over $100K a year. While I don't begrudge anyone an income, that seems excessive for nonprofit organization for more than a couple of employees.

I believe the SPCA uses its funds better, so that's where my extra money goes now. There's a local cat group here that I used to donate to, but being 99% made up of liberals, they squandered their donations on things I didn't think was right and when the recession hit, instead of changing they way they spent money, just begged for more.

[Slings and Arrows]

My pleasure.

[Tabi Katz]

Anyone who loves cats AND travel is OK in my book! Extra points for markings (2 of my 4 furbabies were black & white tuxes).