One Woman's Writing Retreat: Interview, Laurie Crawford Stone

Animal Rights Advocate and contributor to Angel Cats: Divine Messengers of Comfort

I've been a letter writer and advocate for 25 years--ever since I worked at a slaughterhouse. I co-founded and ran an animal advocacy non-profit group for seven years.

Are there statistics on how many animals are destroyed in this country each year? How can we go about changing how animals are treated in the United States?

I can answer regarding companion animals. Of course there are also huge numbers of wildlife killed because someone deems them a "nuisance" and even more killed for their meat and fur and in the name of research. Regarding cats and dogs, approximately 12 million enter shelters in the US each year. More than eight million are killed (euthanized) each year. Don't be fooled into thinking that the others find adoptive homes. Most of the numbers not euthanized are animals that are returned to owners after being picked up as stray. Locally only about 10% of the animals that enter our shelters each year are placed in adoptive homes.

When most people hear the word euthanized in conjunction with shelters, they believe that the animals are "put down" humanely. Is this usually the case?

I object to the terms "put to sleep" and "put down" because I think they desensitize us to what is happening--a life is being ended because someone has made a decision that it should be ended--sometimes for no reason other than a shelter is "out of room". Shelter workers have to choose who will be put up for adoption and who will die. Many animals are born only to be killed because there is no room or home for them. Many are taken to shelters by owners because of behavioral or health issues that can be easily addressed if the owner would utilize available resources for help. These animals are not deemed adoptable. Some animals are taken to a shelter because they are old and the owner doesn't want to pay to have them euthanized at their veterinarian's office--or "can't bear to make the decision". This is unfair to the animal and to the shelter workers. Euthanasia is a more accurate term for what happens when a life is ended at a shelter but implies a compassionate act. We fool ourselves if we believe that each animal is held lovingly in someone's arms, given an initial tranquilizing injection, held until they are almost comatose and then injected with a life-ending solution. There are too many animals to be killed as well as cost considerations that make this an impossible scenario at most shelters. Practices vary from shelter to shelter. Some methods are inhumane, even unimaginably cruel and brutal. Some cause prolonged suffering for the animal. No animal should experience such terror and torture.

[More information regarding shelter euthanasia practices is provided by the Humane Society of the United States. Please realize that some of the content may be disturbing.]

I try to teach by example. I have also visited schools and have been a part of extra curricular educational programs for children. I write letters or op-ed pieces to newspapers and wrote a column for in a now defunct newspaper. I have done individual counseling in the past and still send informational letters to neglectful owners. I served on the local animal control task force which is proposing better protection for companion animals. I have compiled a great deal of information over the past seven years and much of this can be found at www.belovedanimals.com.

Tell us a bit about the Petfinder site and how the Internet has helped those who foster animals.

Placing animals in adoptive homes was much more difficult before Petfinder! We placed animals by word-of-mouth. Most of the people we knew had multiple animals and many of us ended up keeping animals that we fostered. I felt sometimes that the only thing I was doing was trying to find homes for animals and it seemed that friends started ducking when they saw me coming! Petfinder is a wonderful way to reach people all over the United States. Of course, it can be risky adopting to people whose homes you cannot visit prior to placing the animal there. We adopt only to people in adjoining states. Our site, Companion Animal Network was established several years ago. These are animals currently in the foster care of their rescuers, seeking forever homes. They can be seen at www.can.petfinder.com There is useful information, including application forms, adoption contracts, how to introduce new animals, tips when adopting a new cat, and more at www.belovedanimals.com

Many happy endings! I almost don't know where to start. I'll mention a couple. Several years ago I had an inquiry from a woman in Minnesota about a Maine coon mix. She, her husband, and their two children came to Cedar Rapids to meet the cat. They went home with three! We became friends and are still in contact--one of the male cats just won first prize in a contest.

Four years ago, I rescued a mama and her 4 white kittens. The farmer was going to drown them because the mama had a prolapsed rectum. I was able to convince him to let me have the cats. The mama was adopted by someone I knew. She is a wonderful cat and I was able to visit her until her adopter moved with her to Seattle. The kittens were shy and not very adoptable despite being gorgeous and likely a Siamese mix. A new friend and her husband adopted two of them. They are some of my closest friends now and I get to see the kitties from time to time. Unfortunately the other two went to Chicago with someone I didn't know (a valuable lesson). The woman has refused to send photos or updates.

Two years ago, I got wind of a mama and two older kittens living outside. The mama was very small and declawed. We spent months trying to catch them . . . they were being cared for by an older man who is legally blind. He loved the mama and really didn't want her taken away so he dragged his feet on catching her. A friend, bless her heart, agreed to foster the family. She ended up keeping the two teenage kittens. By the time we caught the mama she had three more kittens. The mama was adopted by a woman I had just met--now a good friend--and my interviewer! She found the kitty on Petfinder.com after we met at a local pet store a week or two earlier. She didn't realize her inquiry was coming to me! One male kitten was adopted by the woman who cuts my hair so I get regular updates and the other two kittens went to a family with whom I am very close. I was able to continue to seeing them until that family moved to Arizona a year ago.

Also, two years ago, a friend and I learned of a dobie that had been horribly mistreated. She went to get him. We were shocked to find he was the sweetest most trusting dog. He was nearly starved to death and could stand for only short periods of time--he was so weak. We spent months working to get him healthy--we nearly lost him twice. He had emergency surgery to save his life and he miraculously survived. A wonderful woman fostered him, nursed and cared for him until he was strong enough to be adopted. Her neighbor ended up adopting him and now he rides around in a Lexus!

You are a prime example of how a legitimate writing contest can benefit a writer. Tell us about that experience. Would you do it again?

It was so cathartic for me to write about Teddy. It helped me during my grieving process--which continues even after 20 months. I would definitely do it again.

You are an avid reader. What other authors inspire you? Any favorite books you've recently read?

I generally prefer non-fiction. I love Anne Lamott's non-fiction books. I laugh out loud, cry, underline and write notes in the margins of her books. She is someone I would like to know. I have enjoyed both Natalie Goldberg's and Anne Lamott's books about writing. They both write with humor and a deep understanding about issues that writers face. I also enjoyed Eudora Welty's One Writer's Beginnings. James McBride's The Color of Water is an amazing book. I also devour most new non-fiction books about cats, cat behavior and cat health issues. A favorite fiction book is Kaye Gibbons' Ellen Foster. I also loved The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd and Bee Season by Myla Goldberg. I find Melody Beattie's daily readers to be a wonderful source of comfort and inspiration. I read The Language of Letting Go and More of the Language of Letting Go every day.

Do you journal? How does it help your writing? Any advice on how to write an entry every day?

I journal in spurts. When I am faithful about journaling, I journal my dreams first thing in the morning and about my day before I go to bed. It works best for me to journal the same time every day. Any topic is fair game. When I journal my dreams, I make notes about why I might have had a particular dream--perhaps events of the previous day played a part. Journaling during Teddy's illness helped me later. I was able to go back and capture some of my feelings and fears. It also helps me fill in holes in my memory!

I find it therapeutic to read my journal from a year ago to see how things compare. If I ever write fiction, my dreams will be a wonderful resource. I will at times dream about something that happens a day or two later.

I really don't know. I know I want to write more non-fiction. I don't write for the purpose of being published. Though it is an honor and affirmation to have my writing published. I love to write for the joy of writing--and the catharsis it can provide. I think there is a part of me that hopes others will have the opportunity to learn from or be helped by my experience, strength and hope. I generally read to learn things--about me or about topics of interest. I write for the same reasons. Life is a journey and we might as well make it interesting and learn from both the good and bad experiences.

You'll be giving your first book signing at the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Barnes and Noble book store on November 6, at 2 PM, 2004. How are you preparing for this event?

I have read Teddy's story again several times and looked through all my photos of him. It has been a good way for me to reconnect with Teddy and the lessons I learned about life, living and loving from him. I have read other parts of the Angel Cats book as well. It is an incredible collection of stories. I enjoy reading how other people express their love and experiences with special cats. I have invited friends and family to come and share about their special angel cats. Today I had lunch with a friend who lost her 18 year old cat about the same time I lost Teddy. We were talking nearly daily at that time and it was nice to catch up with her today--we shared a few teary moments. Mostly I am holding and loving the six cats that let me share their home and finding comfort in the knowledge and belief that my Higher Power will guide me that day and every day. I look forward to honoring Teddy who gave me so much more than I gave him.

Catherine Tudor founded One Woman's Writing Retreat in 1996 in order to create a network for writers at all stages in their careers. She is the managing editor and webmaster of One Woman's Writing Retreat. Read more about her here.