If anybody's here I need somebody to talk to badly.

[beam me up scottie]

please, if you can lend me your ear and shoulder.

[GOPFighter]

1. Here

Doing laundry

[Warpy]

2. I'm here, dunno for how long, just had to ream somebody on

another board.

[trotsky]

3. Hey bmus

if you haven't already, I'm here.

[onager]

4. Will be here awhile, at least.

Let fly!

[Lars39]

5. You OK?

[beam me up scottie]

6. Being evicted this week.

Just found out tonight.
Have no family in the area, no money, 4 cats.
I took in 5 orphaned kittens that need to be bottle fed and my neighbor called the sheriff and the landlord.
We have no animal shelter and no foster homes available or I wouldn't have the babies here.
I have tried everywhere and nobody can take them. I will have to have them euthanized after being their momma for over two weeks. They cry and purr when they see me.
I have no place to keep my four boys. Cecil has been with me over 13 years.
I cannot get rid of them, they're my kids.
I am trying to see if I can keep them in a friend's barn for a while until I can raise another deposit on an apartment.
Hell, I might just have to join them.
My brother shipped out to Iraq yesterday.
I had my pap test results come back abnormal/high risk.

I can't lay this all on my dad, his health isn't great right now and he can't do anything anyway, even if he isn't over 1000 miles away.

It just is too much sometimes, you know ?

[trotsky]

7. Oh man

I feel for you, bmus. That's a damn tough spot you're in. Not like I can do anything to help from where I'm at, but I can send you :hug:s.

[beam me up scottie]

9. Thanks, T

it helps, believe me.

[GOPFighter]

8. DAMN!

What a load of shit to have dumped on you all at once.

[beam me up scottie]

10. I thought about living in my car

temporarily (it's not like I haven't done it before) but the temps have been in the 90's for over a week and summer in the south is just starting.

[GOPFighter]

11. Why are you being evicted?

You're not supposed to have pets? You say a neighbor called the sheriff and told the landlord? What a shit!

[beam me up scottie]

13. No lease,

in Kentucky they don't need a reason.
He says it's because of the cats but my neighbor has been trying to get me out of my side of the duplex since I moved in.
I've been here 3 years.
Her sister wants my side of the house.

[trotsky]

14. How many days do you have left?

Isn't there any sort of renter agency that can intercede on your behalf? (I know, it's Kentucky, I'm not expecting anything.. :( )

[beam me up scottie]

19. I think I can drag it out until next Tuesday because

of the holiday.
I can check with community action, but there are so many needy people down here there's not enough for everybody.

[Beetwasher]

15. You Should Still Have Some Rights Though

I suggest contacting a lawyer immediately, look into some free legal services/housing/tenament lawyers in your area (is there a Univeristy nearby? This is a good source for this type of thing).

Also, post in the Kentucky and pet forums here on DU w/ your situation and look for some other local bulletin boards and stuff online about the cats. Perhaps you can find a good temporary home that way. Now IS the time to impose on your friends too, that's what they're there for! ;-)

[GOPFighter]

21. Does the county have any relief agencies?

Or are there other rentals around?

[beam me up scottie]

25. I'm going to see if I can find a sleazy hole

in the wall that I can afford.
Most dives make you pay the rent from week to week.
I have to keep my boys with me-so I need to find a place that okays pets.
Pets, computer and phone-that's all I need to be happy.
Doesn't seem like a lot, does it ?

[GOPFighter]

28. With 4 cats

who needs anything else? 24/7 entertainment and enough shed fur to make a rug or two.

[beam me up scottie]

33. They keep me warm in the winter too.

My guys are all rescues and would have been condemned. I tried to find a home for ALfie, the latest, and had no luck.

[rexcat]

71. Please check your mailbox.

[Beetwasher]

12. Relax, Take a Deep Breath

Why are you being evicted, because of the cats? Eviction NEVER happens that quickly.

[beam me up scottie]

16. Here it does. The citizen comes last in Kentucky.

It's funny, when we had a murderer living in the duplex next to us (out on parole) who kept knocking on our back doors and windows at night, they didn't seem to have a problem with him.
I sat up many nights with my freaked out neighbor because she was scared to death of him.
Nice way to thank me.

[trotsky]

17. Here, check this out:

http://www.law.state.ky.us/cp/rental.htm (KY specific)

[Beetwasher]

18. Good on Ya Trot!

:thumbsup:

[beam me up scottie]

22. Thanks, some good info there.

My lease expired one year after I moved in.
He never renewed it.
I just sent the sob my rent but I don't know if he cashed it.

My neighbor said the cats had mange.
That's why the sheriff was here.
How the fuck would she know ?
But that's enough to get boss hog out here to kill my pets and also enough to evict me.
They "pose a danger" to the public.

[trotsky]

24. Who did you get the kittens from?

Can they help vouch for you and them?

[beam me up scottie]

27. Their mother abandoned them

and some guy found them and brought them to me.
If they were weaned and eating solid food I could probably find homes for some of them.

[trotsky]

29. Ah, so you've developed a reputation...

as "the cat lady"? ;-)

However things progress, you know you've got all of us here for moral support. (Or IMmoral support, since we're all unwashed heathens.)

[beam me up scottie]

31. I've raised orphaned kittens, puppies,

squirrels, birds, rats, a possum and an emu, to name but a few.
I'm a softie for babies.

[Warpy]

42. Call the bank and find out if the check cleared

then call the clerk of court and find out what you can do about it. You can't be robbed of your rent like that if the asshole has cashed the check. If he's cashed the check, you should be good to the end of the month.

I could also suggest a few things like chicken in the crawl space when you leave so that the neighbor's sister won't like living there, but that would be petty, wouldn't it?

New Mexico has that tenant at will crap, too, and the term of any lease here is ONE MONTH, a total pain in the ass. It was that way even in a trailer park I lived in, which was total insanity. That's why I bought a falling down house in a godawful slum as soon as interest rates went down.

Good luck to you, whatever happens, and please, get your cats written into any lease you sign. That way, even if they don't renew the lease, you can prove down the road that your animals were originally OK with the landlord, and absent any extreme damage to the property, the law will remain on your side.

[GOPFighter]

23. Whoda' thunk?

KY has state tenent/landlord laws. Now let's just hope the Sheriff can read...

[beam me up scottie]

34. Law enforcement officials down here

make boss hog look like a saint.
I don't trust any of them, you should see the newspaper reports here. Every other week an official gets indicted.
I thought crooked authorities in the south were an exaggeration or a myth...you have no idea.
It's appalling and obvious and if you dare ask why they can't get rid of the criminals, they look at you like you just beamed down to earth.

[beam me up scottie]

35. delete, wrong #

[Taxloss]

61. BMUS, I would help if I could but I'm an ocean away.

I'm sorry to have just got to this now. Is there a neigbour who could help? I'm sure you will have tried that already, but I can but ask.

Love and peace; if there is a way I can help please let me know.

[beam me up scottie]

63. Thanks, just knowing

you care helps more than you know.

I'm trying to find help for the kittens first. Their lives will be lost if I fail.

I'm sure I can find a hole in the wall somewhere if I need to. That will be my next project if I can't stay here.

[onager]

20. Good grief!

I hate it when crap like this happens to good people. Just hang in there; bad luck never stays around forever, though it can sure feel like that when you're in the middle of it.

I just saw some kids outside a convenience store with Free Kittens. If all else fails, maybe you can find them good homes that way. Just check the ID and don't give them to anybody named "Frist."

Don't know if this is any help, but you can probably research Kentucky's laws about renters on-line...if they have any.

Adding a big...

:hug:

on edit: I see Trotsky alread found a link! Good work!

[beam me up scottie]

30. Thanks.

You guys are awesome.

[Lars39]

26. I wish I could take 'em for you.

Just random thoughts here...would it help to ask some of the vets in the area for help? I'm not up on the latest animal organizations, but someone like Lorien might know of some way to help. Kittens aside, sounds like you might need to look for a new place soon if they're determined to boot you out, although it seems like it would be harder to evict someone. Have you checked into your state laws concerning your renting rights? Could you just pay a pet deposit/bribe? I'd ante up a bit.
Mean people suck. :(

[beam me up scottie]

32. Thanks, I did call several

vets and they gave me a list of shelters to try.
They are all full.
Matter of fact, they are having to euthanize every week to make room for new animals.
He's got a double deposit from me and I'm tapped out right now.
The mange rumor has now doomed all of the strays in this area.
They will start killing strays tomorrow.
It absolutely kills me to think about it but at least they won't starve to death or get hit by a car or have more babies.

[beam me up scottie]

36. Thank you

everybody for the support and the ideas.
You guys are awesome.
:grouphug:

I want so badly to move home but until I find out if anything is seriously wrong with me medically, I'll have to wait and stay on my health insurance.

I've always managed to crawl my way back after some major catastrophes, I'm sure I can get through this if I take it one crisis at a time.

I will let you know what happens.

[leftofthedial]

37. sorry I got here late

[beam me up scottie]

39. Thank you .

Friends are never late.
:)

[YankeyMCC]

38. I wasn't around last night

so I'm sorry to hear the spot you're in BMUS. I've never been in the kind of spot you're in now but I know what it's like when several major things in your life seem to go bad at once.

Looks like in true form the others here have offered some true sympathy and actual helpful advice.

I'm sure you'll find a way to work past this disappointment and find a way to get through this. Keep us posted and if there's a way we can help I'm sure many of us will.

[beam me up scottie]

40. Thank you Yankey.

All I can do for now is work through it.
I know what I can and can't give up, I'll just go from there.

[Longhorn]

41. About the abnormal pap

I've had them several times and they were nothing. They had me take folic acid for awhile, then eventually used silver nitrate on a "raw" spot on my cervix and that was it. Definitely keep your insurance until you know for sure but don't expect the worst.

"There is no reason to think the worst should you have an abnormal screening test. The vast majority of abnormal screening tests suggest a precancerous condition that will either resolve on its own or can be treated before it progresses to cancer. Furthermore, the results of these tests cannot be used to make a definitive diagnosis. The tests are used to identify women who need to go on to have detailed evaluation of their cervices and possible therapy."

http://patients.uptodate.com/topic.asp?file=wom_issu/6518

I wish you the best! :hug:

[shrike]

43. Same here

I had an abnormal pap when I was young and haven't had one since. You've got enough stress in your life, don't push the panic button yet.

I wish you all the best; it's a tough situation to be in.

[beam me up scottie]

51. Thank you for the support, just about everyone I've heard from

who had an abnormal said it wasn't anything serious.
I hope so, I can move home by the end of the year if it turns out to be a minor problem.

[beam me up scottie]

50. Thanks !!!!

I'm sure it's probably nothing.
I usually don't indulge in optimism so right now I'm just filing it in the back of my mind.

[BurtWorm]

44. Hey, bmus

I was distressed to read your post. Sorry you're going through so much shit all at once. You're with someone, so at least you're not going through this all by yourself?

[beam me up scottie]

45. No, I'm pretty much alone.

I have one close friend so if anything catastrophic happens I won't be out on the street.

Thanks for thinking about me.
:hug:

[Bzzzz]

46. Do you have...

township trustees? Here in Indiana the trustee can help people in your situation. I'm so very sorry about your troubles. :hug:

[beam me up scottie]

48. I'll have to check.

One of my friends golfs with a lawyer and he's doing some checking for me. His dad is also on one of the village boards.
I've always been shocked at how few rights Kentucky residents have.
Do you know that the company I transferred here with built a plant in 2002 and OSHA has not been out there once ?
Apparently they don't inspect the industrial plants until someone gets their arm ripped off.
This was a terribly poor area until industry moved in. Now they are EXTREMELY pro-industry regardless of the negative impacts.
Thank you for thinking of me.

[Book Lover]

47. Oh gosh!!

Sorry I'm late to the party. I wish I could do something! It sounds like you've been getting some good advice from folks here. Dammit, there's underground rescue for dogs... there must be one for cats as well... Please let me know if I can help! :hug:

[beam me up scottie]

49. Thank you!

I cannot neglect an animal in need. Ever.
It is even impossible to think about but some people will never understand that.

[noamnety]

52. Don't they have to give you 30 days?

I can't believe if you've been paying rent they can just boot you out with no notice - I'm not in Kentucky, but that doesn't sound right. If you are there month to month with no lease, he can't justify it by saying you broke the terms of the lease.

[beam me up scottie]

53. I think by telling the sheriff

that the kittens had mange, he can use the "health risk" excuse.
He claims that if I don't vacate voluntarily, he will be here to "help" me move.
And I just learned that the sheriff is a partner in one of his businesses.
My rent is cAught up so the lawyer is trying to find out now if the landlord might reconsider because I am a good tenant.

[noamnety]

54. Have you had a vet check them for mange?

Maybe you can find a low cost vet that would be willing to see them and give you a letter saying they don't have it (I'm assuming they don't). That would negate the health risk claim.

[beam me up scottie]

55. I spoke with three vets and

it's going to cost me a fortune that I don't have.
I am also going to have to have my adult cats examined, according to the sheriff or they will take them.
These people are fascists.

[noamnety]

56. that's awful

I was hoping you had some kind of sliding scale community clinic sort of place that would help.

http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html#ky

We have a lot of small animals in our backyard, and one squirrel for a few years had some awful mange. My husband's coworker had some secret supply of medicated peanut butter filled walnut halves to take care of it - I have no idea where she got them from. My husband built a little system of pulleys so from inside our house he could open the box and expose one of the walnuts when the right squirrel was by it - but close it up when the others were there.

I know, not helpful at all - I was just reminded of it, because even if they DID have mange, it's ridiculous to take pets away and destroy them for something so easily treatable.

[beam me up scottie]

57. What an incredible story !

To think that people went to such lengths to save a mere squirrel brings me such a sense of joy and hope.
Thank you.

And thank you for the link, I'm not done trying.

I'm going to get some meds from my doc to calm me down, if I do have to euthanize these sweet trusting babies, I will be inconsolable.

[spooky3]

58. Hi, when I fostered in Ohio, my regular vet charged only half price

for my foster kittens. Would any of the vets there be willing to do that?

I wish you lived closer--if there were some way for me to take the kittens to continue fostering them now that they are weaned off the bottle I would do it. If you are anywhere close to Columbus OH, please call Cat Welfare there and see if there is any way they can help you. They are a wonderful, volunteer, no kill shelter with tremendous vet connections and a fostering program, but obviously have very limited space. They have a website:

http://www.catwelfareohio.com/

[beam me up scottie]

59. Thank you for the link.

I'm from Vermont and I cannot believe how far behind the south is when it comes to the humane treatment of animals.

There are a few noble people who are trying to change that but nowhere near enough.

That's why there is no room for any more rescues.

[Hello_Kitty]

60. Oh Scottie I'm so sorry!

I was wondering where you'd gone off to and then I wandered in here and saw this. You're one of my favorite DUers and it sucks that you're having trouble. :cry: :hug:

What is wrong with this world? Heartless assholes who don't give a shit about anyone, much less non-human creatures run things while kind caring folks get run out of their homes. Makes you wanna hurl! :grr:

I hope everything works out for you. Keep us all posted. I feel so bad for those kitties....

[beam me up scottie]

62. Thank you.

You're one of my favorite Du'ers as well.

I consider all of the people who post in this group to be my friends.
That's why I came in here to decompress.
I'm usually extremely well disciplined and mentally focused (thanks in part, to Onager's sadistic brother and sister Marine Corps drill instructors), but this got to me.
It was all suddenly too heavy.

I won't abandon my boys or the kittens. If I have to take the babies in to be euthanized, I will hold them until it's over. It's what I've done in the past when I've had to say goodbye to old friends.

I really hate this world sometimes.

[Gelliebeans]

64. Awww BMUS

am so sorry hunny.
I just read through the thread. Check your PM
:cry:

[beam me up scottie]

65. Thank you.

I'm hoping the lawyer can negotiate a solution.

[Gelliebeans]

68. here is hoping that

s/he can :)

[progressoid]

66. Also late to the party...Sorry to hear about your troubles.

First, that's pretty low treatment from the landlord.

Secondly, apparently you didn't get the memo that atheists are heartless and live in a moral vacuum. You can't go around rescuing animals etc and still be a member of the Evil Atheists of America!

Lots of ears and shoulders here for ya.

:grouphug:

p.s. I'm taking my daughter to the shelter later today to get her a kitten.

[beam me up scottie]

67. You are saving a life

and your daughter is gaining a friend who will love her unconditionally.

That makes me feel better. Thank you.

[Discord]

69. I'm sorry I haven't been here for a while...

... and I'm very sorry to hear about your situation. = ( If I could help at I all I would. I have 2 wonderful cats of my own and have owned one cat or another almost all of my life. I totally understand the connection you have with your kiddies. I hope that you are able to find some solution that doesnt involve having to let those kittens go to anyone or anything but a good home. I fed an old cat of mine from a bottle. Its the cutest thing.

I wish your brother a safe return home as soon as humanly possible.

Hopefully the pap smear results are just an anomaly or nothing very serious.

Man... when it rains it pours... I know how it goes. I had a particular hell week about 9 years ago. Don't want to get into details, but it had a profoud effect of my life. Some good, some not so good. I wish you the best and lots of hugs. Please keep me informed of how things are going.

[beam me up scottie]

75. Thanks.

:hug:

Miss you.
If I can catch a break, I may just take you out to lunch when I move back home.

[Discord]

79. That would be fun.

I hope that you can get everything worked out and back on track. Vermont would surely welcome you home again. :hug:

[Synnical]

70. BMUS - Just read this thread

I'm so saddened to learn of your troubles. I've just e-mailed a friend of mine in KY - Edwin Kagin - the State Director of American Atheists asking for any help or advice he can give. He lives in Union, KY. Are you near that location?

Have you contacted a lawyer? The first meeting is always free of cost.

I'll let you know if I come up with anything.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[Gelliebeans]

72. Synnical

that was mighty nice thing to do :thumbsup:

[beam me up scottie]

74. Thank you.

I'm not sure where Union is. I'll have to check.
What a wonderful thing to do.

[jonnyblitz]

73. oh crap i hate to hear this. i hope everything works out for you...

:hug: :hi:

[beam me up scottie]

76. Thanks Jonny.

You've been great to me since I was a newbie.

[jonnyblitz]

78. well...you get what you give....so if I have been great to you

that is why. i just hate to hear this. all i can do to help is give you words of encouragement and support. oh well.

[beam me up scottie]

77. I may be able to

keep my house for now. I don't know all of the conditions yet, will post more when I hear.
If my boys can't stay, I will be out of there anyway.
A friend said I could keep them in her barn if I need to and I could stay with her.
Still no luck finding shelter for the kittens. This area is horrible, there are very few shelters so all of the foster families are caring for more than they can handle now.
They are going to euthanize over 20 dogs today from the current shelter.

Thank you so much for caring, everybody.
I never expected to make so many wonderful friends and I am so glad you're there for me.

~Linda

[muriel_volestrangler]

80. I'm sorry I didn't see this thread for a couple of days

but if there's now a ray of hope, that's good. Let us know if there's anything we can do to help.

I'm impressed you're so caring about all the kittens - hang on in there. All the best.

[beam me up scottie]

81. Thank you.

I've always been a softie for orphans and rescued animals.

[Rhiannon12866]

82. OMG, I hadn't seen your thread earlier, either.

I'm in NY or I'd be there to help. All my pets have been rescue, as well, and I have friends who work in rescue, and a no-kill shelter in my area. But, as I said, I'm in NY. Please don't give up, on your situation or the kittens. You are doing the right thing. And please let us know what's going on with you and this situation. I care, and admire your fighting the good fight, for yourself and for helpless kitties.

Rhiannon:hug:

[RebelOne]

83. Go to Yahoogroups.com

You'll have to register, but then search for animal rescue groups in your area. I found homes for 3 kittens through a rescue group in my area with YahooGroups. It's worth a try.

[Zhade]

84. Any update? We're all worried about you.

NT!

[beam me up scottie]

85. Update on my fucked up life...

I'm still in my house but I don't know for how long, I may be able to keep my boys but am unable to pay any more rent or deposit. So it may depend on how much I can haggle with the landlord although I can barely afford to pay my bills now. I'm doing some things on the side so I may post infrequently.

My bitch neighbor told him that ALL of the strays I feed were mine. I think I finally got him to understand that I only took in the orphans.(Warpy, I will DEFINITELY use your fish idea, I may use it even if I don't move-I figure if I mince the fish and distribute it evenly throughout the crawl space underneath the house, she'll never be able to find where the smell is coming from...I'm pissed enough to not even care about the snakes and black widows that live under there).

Still trying to find someplace to take the kittens. I'm at the end of my resources and I'm drawing the line at giving them out in a parking lot because some locals use kittens and puppies to train their pit bulls.

Cancelled my doctor's appointment. I am emotionally incapable of dealing with that now and I also cannot afford to be sick.
Until I know what is going on with the rest of my family, I cannot deal with anything else.

Thanks for all of your friendship and support, I am awed by how much you guys care for someone you've never met before and I hope I can repay some of your kindness.

[trotsky]

86. Good to hear an update

but sorry there's still so much shit to wade through.

I will give you some totally unsolicited advice, though, which you are free to take or leave: I don't think you should put off the doctor's appointment. In the remote chance that it's something serious, the earlier you catch it, the better off you'll be. (And in the much more likely case that it's nothing, well, that just means peace of mind all that much sooner!)

Take care of yourself, bmus. :hug:

[beam me up scottie]

87. Thanks.

I hear you but I cannot afford this right now. I will end up getting my wages attached when I can't pay the medical bills (since I can't go bankrupt thanks to bushcorp's new law).
I may need to quit my job soon and if I start any kind of treatment, I'll never be able to get coverage from another insurance company or the government.
It's just another roll of the dice right now, I'll play when I can pay.
The smoke I breathe in on a daily basis at work will kill me faster anyway.
Picture it, 5 chain smokers in a very small airtight office for 9 hours a day.
Then picture me and a male co-worker, slowly developing lung cancer as we choke and wheeze our way through the work week.
Oh yeah, I gave up smoking 5 years ago for this...:banghead:
Did I mention how much I fucking hate Kentucky ?

[Gelliebeans]

88. Well I am glad to hear

from you. I did check periodically this weekend to see if you posted. I think the fish thing is wonderful also. :evilgrin:

Take Care
gb