This has been an incredibly difficult year with so many unwanted pets pouring in. So many people wanting to surrender pets for truly selfish reasons.
We get so tired of that and many staff members suffer from compassion fatigue, not able to stay optimistic when we see the never-ending flow of unwanted pets coming to the shelter.
This week, we saw some great things. One story in particular gave us so much hope!
A few weeks ago, a stray cat came to us that staff members named Bethany.
Bethany is a senior cat that was picked up by animal control. The cat appeared injured and in need of help.
Once she arrived it was clear that there was something wrong with her. She was matted and had scars on her face, her ear swollen and appearing to be infected but wow, she was sweet! Bethany was already spayed so at some time she was someone’s pet. What happened? Why was she surviving on her own and in bad condition? We just don’t know.
Dr. Rodriguez and the shelter’s veterinary staff could have euthanized her, she was in bad shape. We have more medical cases and surgeries than ever. They chose to go the extra mile.
A mass removed, a sample taken from her ulcerated ear and sent for lab testing. FOTAS supplements the county by paying all laboratory fees to help save every adoptable pet. The lab reports were not what we hoped, it was aggressive cancer and likely to return.
We decided to ask the public if anyone was willing to take a hospice cat. This senior, black, matted, scarred cat didn’t have much ‘curb appeal’ next to the many kittens available. We called in the help of Martha Anne Tudor who helps to tell the story of our homeless pets on social media. Within hours of the post we had multiple people wanting to save her. It was truly inspiring!
When the shelter opened on Saturday morning, a wonderful woman named Wendy Johnson arrived that wanted to save Bethany. The sweet cat is now loved and in the arms of someone that chose love, not longevity.
“I just knew when I saw the post about her, that I had to try to get her. If I could, I’d adopt all the cats. But she seemed special, like God knew we could help one another.” – Wendy
Sometimes we forgot the many people that want to help. The shelter staff members that go the extra mile, the people that donate so we can run needed laboratory testing, the adopters that come and save the forgotten.
Their lives are in our hands.
by Kathy Cagle, FOTAS Programs Coordinator