Jameson Humane, from Napa, did a free vaccination and chip clinic, Saturday October 26 in Clearlake at the Senior Center.
Jameson Humane (www.jamesonanimalrescueranch.org/) has been helping Lake County’s animals since after the Valley Fire in 2015, with the only gap being during the pandemic.
I had the date set on my calendar for a month. I wrote about it and told people about it. My problem was, I had two cats who needed updates on their vaccinations and chipping on one, and I wasn’t able to transport them and stand in line with them because I’d been suffering from breathing problems. Stupid breathing that has not enabled me to do relatively small tasks let alone carrying two cats.
I called my usual suspects who have been driving me everywhere, but all were busy with family visits, doctor appointments and one with Covid.
My neighbor was at the bottom of my list because she has been dealing with Valley Fever (the coccidioides fungus found in soil that causes infection when inhaled). Talk about breathing problems!
Fortunately for her, she’s gotten well enough to go back to work and her voice has returned, almost to normal. When I asked if she would help me, she said, “Of course.”
What a load off my shoulders that was.
Waking early is never fun for me, but I was doing it for the cats and doing it to save money on their shots. Waking at o’dark hundred paid off as we were third in the cat line. The first person in line had seven cats, all in very large cages. The woman said she had 15 cats in total at home. The next person had only one cat and the woman after me had two carriers full of very young kittens.
In the two hours my neighbor and I waited with my cats Honey and Noodle, people crowded around the cages full of kittens. It seems that people just love baby kittens, baby humans, baby anything. Why is that? Their size? Innocence? I guess seeing them just produces a feel-good feeling.
A woman holding a very small, very fluffy white puppy walked by and I wanted her to stop and let me cuddle the bundle of cuteness. A cat in a large cage entertained itself by rolling around, putting its paws through to wire bars, grabbing at people nearby. I thought maybe there was catnip in the cage. It certainly entertained me while waiting the two hours for the clinic to begin.
During the wait people came up to see Noodle and were amazed at her bigness. If they glimpsed her polydactyl paws that look like baseball mitts, they were even more amazed.
The sky was a happy blue and the sun warmed everyone up, including a couple of tempers. Two big dogs tried to get into it and by contrast the cats were mellow. One woman got twisted up in her dogs’ leashes and fell. It took several people to get her standing. Another woman fell to the ground from her wheelchair. That took quite a crowd to get her standing and back into her wheelchair.
Small dramas at the animal clinic, which Monica Stevens (founder and president) took care of gracefully. She was in perpetual motion; helping people, filling pitchers of water and taking them to dogs needing hydration, directing pet owners to the free giveaways provided by Jameson Humane and Clearlake Animal Association; hundreds of pounds of food, carriers, beds. leashes, toys and even animal clothing.
Brenda Burke, Director of Community Engagement, was also in perpetual motion, coaching volunteers, helping the many people in line with their animals.
Finally, it was my turn. My friend carried Noodle’s carrier, and I took Honey’s. The vets and volunteers loved chubby Noodle and her beautiful yellow eyes. They gave her the updated shots and wrote down her chip number, which I had misplaced. Honey was also a darling getting her shots and getting a chip implanted. Not a peep out of either of them. Done!
With the help of three vets and 28 volunteers, plus all the organizations involved, Monica Stevens said, “Jameson Humane was so grateful to be able to provide wellness exams, vaccinations and microchips to 125 cats and 152 dogs. We are honored to host this annual clinic for Lake County’s humans and their beloved animals.”
What’s a girl to do?…keep spreading the word about free clinics that help our county’s over population of cats and dogs.
Lucy Llewellyn Byard welcomes comments and shares. To contact her, email lucywgtd@gmail.com
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