Second Chance Animal Aid is a volunteer organisation in Shanghai, supporting and looking after abandoned animals and re-homing them. The reason I try not to do too much animal-oriented volunteering is because I have a massively soft heart for animals. I just know I’ll fall in love with one (or more) and get really really sad not being able to take them home. But finally, Chris and I decided to get up early one Sunday morning and help out the animals 🙂
It was about one hour out of Shanghai, when all the buildings starting dropping away and we saw more and more farms. It’s amazing how much Shanghai changes in just an hour! We were basically in woop-woops-ville with hardly a soul in sight, fresh clean air, and green grass. Ahhhh…. divine.
The purpose of the day was really simple – look after and play with the cats. As volunteers only come once every two weeks, the poor kittys are quite starved of attention and affection. So we just had to interact with them and play with them, as well as brush their fur (they love this). I wouldn’t even call it “volunteering”, because we got so so so much out of it ourselves 🙂 I just adored the kitties!
There were over 100 cats there, in this large converted house. A total cat paradise, the cats can roam freely and lounge around all day. What a life! These cats are here because they’re abandoned though, and some of them with a bunch of problems (mainly mouth/gum issues), so they stay there until they can get re-homed – which isn’t exactly a sure-thing since many of the cats are old (people only like to adopt cute little kittens). So they are just there, having a nice quiet life, until they go to kitty heaven.
I tried very veeerrryyy hard not to cuddle them TOO much, because I just know I’ll get irrationally attached and want to bring one home. Was doing a fairly good job of it, in fact, until at the end… when I sat down and a beautiful black cat jumped onto my lap, purring madly and being so affectionate. I wanted to bring it home so badly 🙁
It was really nice to be out there, in the middle of nowhere, and playing with these gorgeous cats. A wonderful way to spend a Sunday 🙂
On the way to the Animal Shelter. Not a high-rise building in sight, amazing for Shanghai!
A couple of dogs. These were abandoned guard dogs and are trained to kill on sight.
They were scary…
Certainly not a sweet, cuddly dog!
Kitty paradise!!
Very well looked after cats, looking smug
Awwww ‘lil cutie!
Salmon snacks
Enjoying a scratch
One of the large rooms in the house
Snuggle time
Ceiling Cat watches you stealthily from above
“Hullo Ceiling Cat!”
A RIDICULOUSLY FUNNY video of a cat with a nerve problem (and me yabbering away).
You totally have to watch it – much LOLment!!
A gorgeous pure white kitty
Content in a new kitty bed that we brought
Pretty kitty
Chris really attracts the pussy. OH YES, I did say that!
This cat was totally enamoured with him and kept snuggling up
And this jet black kitty loved me 🙂
Oh to be a cat… what a fab life
Us = cat chairs
Awwwww what a cutie!!
Where do you find all these places to volunteer? I have been looking in my city but nothing exists unless I want to do a full week’s trip outside of the city to a rural area. :T
I surf the net like mad looking for places around SHA that I can volunteer in.. and also once i know people in a charity group, I ask them if they volunteer in others, etc. Mostly word of mouth 🙂
Where do you find all these places to volunteer? I have been looking in my city but nothing exists unless I want to do a full week’s trip outside of the city to a rural area. :T
I surf the net like mad looking for places around SHA that I can volunteer in.. and also once i know people in a charity group, I ask them if they volunteer in others, etc. Mostly word of mouth 🙂
Aww how sweet is that white cat with Chris. 🙂 I think I like ceiling cat the best, he/she’s got the perfect view.
They just loved him.. it was so adorable 🙂
Oooh this post makes me happy and sad at the same time. I’m glad you guys volunteered your time. Those poor kitties, especially the one in the video. 🙁 Looks like he had a neurological disorder. I’m sure he/she was so happy to have someone give it attention. I wish I had a big enough place to adopt a lot more cats & dogs. One day though! One day we plan on buying land and adopting and loving all our furry little kids. The little white cats snuggling with Chris is adorable. I’m going to go hug my kitties now. :)))
Yeah it was some neurological thing as he was born like that… he was such a lil sweetie though!
Aww how sweet is that white cat with Chris. 🙂 I think I like ceiling cat the best, he/she’s got the perfect view.
They just loved him.. it was so adorable 🙂
Oooh this post makes me happy and sad at the same time. I’m glad you guys volunteered your time. Those poor kitties, especially the one in the video. 🙁 Looks like he had a neurological disorder. I’m sure he/she was so happy to have someone give it attention. I wish I had a big enough place to adopt a lot more cats & dogs. One day though! One day we plan on buying land and adopting and loving all our furry little kids. The little white cats snuggling with Chris is adorable. I’m going to go hug my kitties now. :)))
Yeah it was some neurological thing as he was born like that… he was such a lil sweetie though!
Hehe I have to admit, I’m much more of a dog person. Cats to me seems a little evil and aren’t as loyal as dogs…but that’s just me being biased!
ROFL! I do know what you mean though.. but I love both 🙂
So cute!!! KITTIES!!!!
I love the one in the last pic – so adorable.
Do you get to take them home????
Nope, but they do Adoption Days for some of the animals that are fit to be re-homed.. going to one in 2 weeks 🙂
awww hon, I would have felt the same way as you. Such beautiful kitties!!!
I kept thinking about Monkey, she is SO lucky to have you!
Heehee, and I totally consider myself lucky to have her 🙂
They are so gorgeous! I’d want to take them all home, haha. 😀
Yeah, it’s so sad people actually abandoned these gorgeous creatures.. shame on em!
Hehe I have to admit, I’m much more of a dog person. Cats to me seems a little evil and aren’t as loyal as dogs…but that’s just me being biased!
ROFL! I do know what you mean though.. but I love both 🙂
So cute!!! KITTIES!!!!
I love the one in the last pic – so adorable.
Do you get to take them home????
Nope, but they do Adoption Days for some of the animals that are fit to be re-homed.. going to one in 2 weeks 🙂
awww hon, I would have felt the same way as you. Such beautiful kitties!!!
I kept thinking about Monkey, she is SO lucky to have you!
Heehee, and I totally consider myself lucky to have her 🙂
That video is hilarious!
Teehee yeh I know! It makes me LOL whenever I watch it 😛
Cute post.
Heh , thanks
That’s awesome that you volunteered there!
It was so fun, I wanna do it again!
They are so gorgeous! I’d want to take them all home, haha. 😀
Yeah, it’s so sad people actually abandoned these gorgeous creatures.. shame on em!
Awwwwwww, wonky cat was so cute! How come you couldn’t take a cat? You should have taken home wonky cat! 😀
It’s not that simple, we can’t all just take home a cat, because it never stops – you can’t just take home one 😉 So volunteers are encouraged not to just impulsively take them home, but to care for them in this home instead
The kitties are so adorable!
Aren’t they! I just love cats.. these were so sweet 🙂
Have you seen the Maru videos on Youtube?
Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/mugumogu
aww..I feel bad for that cat. but she/he is cute though
It was such a lil cutiepie, and loved cuddles.. awwww
I love cats! They are such gorgeous animals. They sure look like they’re enjoying all the attention and fussing from you and Chris! Its so cute how the white cats seem to love him and how the black cat loves you!
They really did soak up the attention.. it was totally cute 😛
That video is hilarious!
Teehee yeh I know! It makes me LOL whenever I watch it 😛
Cute post.
Heh , thanks
Good thing you didn’t need to do any piano-playing here! LOL! Che and I were talking about your post today and we both BURST out laughing!!
hah true, at least i can laugh about it now! should’ve seen the shocked looks of disbelief and shifty-eyes at me though, when i was playing. And chris trying to move sloowwwllyyyy to the back of the crowd, like “I dunno this crazy person”!!!
I am so, SO jealous that you can do this! I developed an allergy to cats as an adult, and I love them but can’t be anywhere close to them now, as they turn me into a sneezing, sniffling, watery-eyed mess. That’s awesome and inspirational that you are so involved in volunteering.
Oh dohhh you poor thing! is it just cats, or all animals?
Such gorgeous kitties. I especially love the one snuggling in the cat bed you donated.
Reminds me of the extremely affectionate kitty we met at Yu Yuan when we were visiting Shanghai a few years back.
Looks like it was a warmish day, with Chris in a sweater sans coat.
Yeah it was nice and sunny which was good. Good for the cats too, they got to laze around sunning themselves – so adorable!
That’s awesome that you volunteered there!
It was so fun, I wanna do it again!
Awwwwwww, wonky cat was so cute! How come you couldn’t take a cat? You should have taken home wonky cat! 😀
It’s not that simple, we can’t all just take home a cat, because it never stops – you can’t just take home one 😉 So volunteers are encouraged not to just impulsively take them home, but to care for them in this home instead
i’m afraid that i go to Malone’s with you on the 7th I will return home with a doggie or kitty. I so much want to get a girlfriend for Symbi, but from the other hand it’s very complicated.
Yeah we are all gonna have to exercise a LOT of self control that day!!
Are these cats abandoned? The white kitties are so cute, pity they have no home.
yeah – its so sad they were just abandoned by people!
they are beautiful!
Yeah 🙂 so many of em tho, lol!
The kitties are so adorable!
Aren’t they! I just love cats.. these were so sweet 🙂
Have you seen the Maru videos on Youtube?
Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/mugumogu
aww..I feel bad for that cat. but she/he is cute though
It was such a lil cutiepie, and loved cuddles.. awwww
I love cats! They are such gorgeous animals. They sure look like they’re enjoying all the attention and fussing from you and Chris! Its so cute how the white cats seem to love him and how the black cat loves you!
They really did soak up the attention.. it was totally cute 😛
Good thing you didn’t need to do any piano-playing here! LOL! Che and I were talking about your post today and we both BURST out laughing!!
hah true, at least i can laugh about it now! should’ve seen the shocked looks of disbelief and shifty-eyes at me though, when i was playing. And chris trying to move sloowwwllyyyy to the back of the crowd, like “I dunno this crazy person”!!!
I am so, SO jealous that you can do this! I developed an allergy to cats as an adult, and I love them but can’t be anywhere close to them now, as they turn me into a sneezing, sniffling, watery-eyed mess. That’s awesome and inspirational that you are so involved in volunteering.
Oh dohhh you poor thing! is it just cats, or all animals?
Such gorgeous kitties. I especially love the one snuggling in the cat bed you donated.
Reminds me of the extremely affectionate kitty we met at Yu Yuan when we were visiting Shanghai a few years back.
Looks like it was a warmish day, with Chris in a sweater sans coat.
Yeah it was nice and sunny which was good. Good for the cats too, they got to laze around sunning themselves – so adorable!
i’m afraid that i go to Malone’s with you on the 7th I will return home with a doggie or kitty. I so much want to get a girlfriend for Symbi, but from the other hand it’s very complicated.
Yeah we are all gonna have to exercise a LOT of self control that day!!
Are these cats abandoned? The white kitties are so cute, pity they have no home.
yeah – its so sad they were just abandoned by people!
they are beautiful!
Yeah 🙂 so many of em tho, lol!