I'm so sorry for your frustration, but there is no way to legislate against stupidity; it's simply a fact of life. People who have no business with pets (or kids for that matter!) will wind up with them. The rest of us are left to clean up the mess.

I thought Freecycle had a universal no free pets ad policy? Could you contact the local moderator to enforce the rule? Our local moderator sent mass warnings last year about the issue throughout kitten season.

Your description of how this affects you sounds terrible - have you thought about redirecting your energies? I'd hate for you to burn out when it's clear you are passionate about doing the right thing. If there is no mobile s/n unit in your area, could you step aside or cut back from your current duties to write grant proposals so your shelter could have one? Help with the coordination and promotion of an existing unit? Or one shelter in our area at one time ran a cat taxi service to a low cost clinic for elderly people. I'm sure it nipped a few "cat ladies" in the bud.

I guess what I'm asking it there a way you could step away from talking to such careless, thoughtless people while working to open more doors for them to do the right thing. Sometimes when we are so busy trying to save the animal directly in front of us, we lose track of opportunities to do a greater good. (and you need to be able to sleep at night - you deserve it after working hard for so many who can't speak for themselves)

Purrs,
Elizabeth

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