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photo by Steve VanGunda
Darian Duckworth, minister from Grace United Methodist Church, leads those in attendance in a prayer during the Tripod “The City’s Kitty” memorial service held at City Hall Thursday evening.
Approximately 40 people attended memorial service for Tripod
Published Friday, October 10, 2008
NATCHEZ — Tripod, the city’s kitty, is still well loved and remembered.
Approximately 40 people showed up graveside Thursday afternoon to pay respect to the feline ambassador that served a full four-year term at city hall.
The three-legged, toothless and tenacious friend that adopted city hall and its employees has been dead for 25 years.
Former mayor Tony Byrne, who was serving in the mayoral capacity when Tripod came to city hall, had a few things to say about the cat before a prayer was said.
First he wanted to acknowledge those who attended the memorial who were around when Tripod lived in city hall, including former alderwoman Peggy Middleton and former alderman Hall Wilson.
“Hall was the one who made a motion to remove Tripod from city hall,” Byrne said.
The crowd erupted into laughter when Byrne recounted how former alderman Al Graning then made a motion to remove Wilson from city hall.
But Tripod and Wilson overcame their differences when a blustery and snowy day kept anyone else from being able to feed Tripod but Wilson.
Wilson braved the storm to feed the cat that he once did not want around.
“It ruined my reputation,” Wilson said of his act of kindness.
The group of attendees then moved into the city council chambers, where a 10-minute news feature by PM Magazine was shown.
The end was punctuated with laughter and a short speech from Vidal Davis.
Davis, who is a member of the Natchez Adams-County Humane Society building committee, wanted to encourage people to donate to the humane society.
The memorial was also to raise money for the building fund.
The current building is in “desperate, desperate shape,” Davis said, and board and community members alike are looking to construct a completely new building. Davis said it is overcrowded and outdated.
So far, $180,000 has been raised for the building, but they are short several more thousand as the total cost has been estimated to be $750,000.
“It’s not a big goal for people who are passionate about animals,” Davis said.
He said he realizes it’s a difficult time to be asking people for money.
“I ask you to consider,” he said. “Dig deep.”
Plans for the building include bright colors, a lot of white lights and sun, a design that would take the building into the next 40 to 50 years.
“The humane society should be a very uplifting experience” for volunteers, he said.
Byrne said he was thankful for the participants and the donations.
“It was designed for fun and humor and to draw attention to the humane society building fund,” he said.
Comments
Posted by meluvcookies (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 6:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Continue to RIP, Tripod! Although I never had the pleasure of meeting you, you seem to have been quite a character! I have two cats and they are sweeties. :)
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 7:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think we should memorialize some of the skunks that have run city hall.
Posted by generoberts (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Starting with P. West.
Posted by gator (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 9:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Some of those rats at city hall don't deserve no memorilizing . If you do it make sure it's done in effigy .
Posted by lambchop (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 9:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Here you go again! (per Ronald Reagan) -- can't we have one article where there is no demonizing!
RIP in Tripod!
Posted by doubled (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Seems asthougth the people in Natchez care more about animals than the humans!
Posted by bear45 (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 9:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe the City Hall should adopt another cat and name him Tripod II and send him after some of the ugly up there now! Just look after reading this article how he changed one man, maybe another one will change a few more and so on and so on!!!
Posted by destiny (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think we can accept the love of an animal much quicker than we can accept friendship with another human because when we offer our hand in friendship to another human, we aren't sure if we are shaking the devil's hand or not.
Posted by GopherBaroque (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 10:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's nice to have people who love animals. I would go out of my way to keep from hurting any animal. Having said that, I live on a rural road where some people purposely run over possums, armadillos, cats, squirrels, raccoons, chickens and just about anything else that gets in the road. It's a shame that some of their short little animal lives are cut short by the terror of a car tire running them down.
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I love animals, have three dogs and a cat. Costs me over $150 a month to feed and medicate them. Plus annual check ups and whatever the vet says the need. To me that's money well spent for good watch dogs and a cat that will keep the mice down (lol). Every now and then my dogs do get out and I track them down as quick as I can, and try to disturb my neighbors as little as possible. My neighbors actually appreciate my dogs, as they don't bark unless there's something to bark at. In contrast to some folks who allow their dogs to bark all night every night AT NOTHING.
But diseased strays I feel should be dealt with quickly and humanely by one .22 bullet to the head. Of course, animals that have wandered from home, are just temporarily lost, have a collar and are obviously in good health; have a chance of remaining healthy and having a good life because their owner will come looking for them; should receive a measure of mercy. But it would seem that close to a million dollar investment for the purpose of euthanizing and maintaining unwanted "pets" is a bit over the top.
There are too many strays wondering wild that are a threat to the health of our animals that are fortunate enough to have a good home. I've seen packs of wild dogs while out hunting, and I'll shoot a collarless wild dog in a second.
Good luck raising the money. I'm glad these "big shots" have the time and money to play around and party the way they do. They must have a lot of idle time on their hands.
Personally, I cannot relate to this type activity.
Posted by ItsMeAgain (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I know these fools not praying to a nasty cat. Please!!!!!!!!! This is so stupid.
Posted by aak1972 (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 12:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Krogers for once I agree with you!
Posted by comminatcha (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
itsmeagain.....Try having a heart. NO ONE is praying TO a cat. They are just remembering a cat that brought happiness to the people who knew it. You must have never had a pet, what a shame! They give unconditional love!
Posted by humorme (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 1:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So Krogers, are you calling for an open season on any and all stray domestic animals as a solution to the problem? Maybe if the county offered a reward for the pelts of these animals they could save the $750k. Not sure this is the answer but happy hunting.
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 1:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just wondering Krogers, do you eat the dog after you kill it?
Posted by Serpintina (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 3:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kroger you said, "But diseased strays I feel should be dealt with quickly and humanely by one .22 bullet to the head." I fully agree with you. There are to many strays that don't belong to anyone and only cause health animals to get sick. I have 3 cats that are outside, one inside cat, and two dogs. I live out 61S so I am not in town.
However, a few years back my yard was full of cats that were stray. I live to far out for the city to take car of the infestation of strays we had. Unfortunately we had to deal with not only the animals, but the flees and ticks they carried as well. The only course of action we had was to deal with the strays in the way you mentioned. Don't get me wrong, I love animals, and did not want to do what we had to do. We just could not continue to put our health in danger by having all the wild strays and the pests they carried around.
My daughter wad 3 at the time and we could not even go out side with her to play because of the flees. After taking care of the animals it still took 3 months of treating our yard and home to get a control on the pest problem. This is an example of when its better to shot rather than let them take over your well being.
Posted by getalifenatchez (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 5:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What type of community am I living in when people want to eradicate animals by shooting them??? I'm far from the PETA type, believe me. If you enjoy deer hunting, etc... that is one thing, but shooting cats and dogs??? Have you ever heard of trapping and taking them to the humane society where some one might like to adopt and give them a good home??? No, I am not a liberal tree hugger either.... I just love animals, and hate to see them treated cruely.... Animals are a lot more loyal and loving than humans, believe me.... It concerns me that so many people have written in support of shooting these poor helpless creatures. It's a little different if a rabid/ wild dog shows up on your property....
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on October 10, 2008 at 7:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My daughter rescued another kitten yesterday. Some "kind" person had apparently thrown out a 6 wk old kitten on the St. Catherine Ck. Bridge at Morgantown. She saw the kitten, stopped just off the bridge and went back to get him. I only hope he was the only one thrown out there, but I feel like whoever did it was probably throwing the whole litter over into the creek. I have no idea how anyone could do this.
Posted by crawgator (anonymous) on October 11, 2008 at 6:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
i was thinking the same thing Kroger. $750,000, wow. and on top of that they call it a "Shelter".
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on October 11, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I do not shoot animals like cats and dogs. I am not for the shooting of strays. BUT, I have seen examples like the ones above where a stray has had enough flees to infest an acre of land. It is sad and when you can not get a hand on them to treat them, you have to trap them or try to get them off your land.
Shooting would not have to happen if people would take responsibility for their pets. If you do not want to have more than a couple of dogs, then have them spayed or neutered. My house dog is spayed. My 2 labs are breeding animals and the pups sale for $300 each. They have only had 1 litter which was easy to sale and after the 3rd litter, I will have the female spayed . That is enough strain on any animal.
Back to the article,
I remember Tripod and I am glad to see the memory being used to help other animals that are left after irresponsible people do not do what they need to do with their animals. I wish the very best to the Humane society in this endeavor and hope that they can raise the needed funds. I have spoken with Vidal Davis and Good Hope Construction and offered services and contacts to them to help keep the cost down as much as my partner and I can. I hope others in the area will do the same to help out this worthy cause. Reach for you wallet if you can, but reach for your heart and help raise funds if you have none to give yourself. Thank you.
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