My neighbors moved a few blocks over, and they left their cat. We took care of him for a couple of days, but I know where they moved so I bundled him up and took to his new house. I told the kids to keep him in the garage a few days so he would know his new home, but he just about beat me back to my house. I did this a couple of times, lol. They even came by and tried to take him back, but he was not having it. So he is now ours. He's the best boy in the world.
It was several hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes, flash floods, and a zika virus epidemic that left our community with many animals. Similar to the adorable movie 101 Dalmatians, we felt. Trees were everywhere sometimes. The point is between birds, cats, dogs, and many other common southern wildlife, we were packed. Every neighbor that I can recall fed more than a few hungry stomachs. Heaven please help us. Think how many had to evacuate? I went on an advertisement frenzy for people that could help or organizations who help others. Either way, some were sheltered. We are older and we aren't rich, but we couldn't watch the starvation and homeless while doing nothing. Please keep the south in your prayers. I had taken photographs for my networks, the classifieds, and Guideposts. I love the Greater Good, I holiday-season shop. I free click daily, but the compassion to help animals came from life experience and Volunteering for Paws Humane Society years ago. I was a volunteer for the American Red Cross as well. I believe in good people, I believe God is omnipresent and His ways are mysterious. I thank the Greater Good for your hard work and good deeds.
Last year, I had to make one of the hardest and most painful decisions every in my life. My luv bug was very sick and I knew that he was in pain. After kissing him good bye, I told myself I could never love again and he would simply be my one and only baby. Months went by and every day was a struggle. I didn't know how to live anymore. I missed my baby. Then one day as I was looking on a website of a local shelter, I saw a picture of this very terrified, 10-month-old miniature poodle mix. His eyes is what got to me. He was so scared. But after seeing his picture, I knew I had to rescue him. The next day, I went to the local shelter and found out that he was rescued from an Amish breeding farm and that his buddy who was with him was already adopted and he was alone. I sat with him while holding onto him saying that everything would be okay. One year later, Prince Louis is doing wonderful! We celebrated his homecoming by having a birthday party since we will never know when his actual birthday really is. He loves to bark at his Daddy to tell him he is ready for his walk, he adores his big brother who is a Standard Poodle named Sir Leonard, and he is definitely a morning dog who enjoys when his Daddy and brother play with him. Louis has filled my heart again with love. Thanks to my luv bug!
At 8:30 am Nov 8, 2018, my son's girlfriend knocked on our Chico door to let us know that their entire family had to evacuate because the Camp Fire was destroying the town of Paradise, CA. They had 3 large parrots that they wanted to take with them, but they hoped we could take her 2 cats, one adult and one 8 weeks old. I was concerned because one of my two dogs was not particularly cat-friendly, but in these trying times, we took them in. It took two months for the girlfriend and her family to find a home in the area (ironically two doors down), but by then Pippin had bonded to our home, our dogs, and to us. Our son's girlfriend decided it was better to leave him with us. We love him, even when he's being a plant-destroying feline! :) We have very few houseplants left. Yes, I have checked that the ones left are not poisonous.
Over the years we have adopted 7 dogs, all from different places with different profiles. Lacy wandered by our house often. She was a collie her owner didn’t want. We loved her. Maverick, a border collie, just showed up one day and stayed. Smartest dog we ever had. Hershey was from a local shelter. No one adopted him so we did, but sadly we could not save him from himself. He was dangerously protective. Violet was abandoned at a vet clinic on Long Island and no one wanted her. She was old. We fostered and adopted her. A sweetheart . Smiley was from Tennessee and at 9 years her family gave her up. We loved this gentle soul. Now it’s Gus and Penny both from Louisiana, both abandoned black labs. Both 7 years when we got them. 2 dogs at a time will always be our number and seniors our go to. Wish we could save them all! Black dogs are most a risk for euthanization so that’s who we choose. Spay and neuter programs are essential. Maybe someday shelters won’t be needed!
In the summer of 2013, I began feeding a small local colony of ferals (all TNR's). I instantly fell in love with them, and developed a special bond with a big black fluffy cat who I named Midnight. It was love at first sight! He became my friend, and would head-butt me and want my attention all the time. I told my best friend, Melody, about him; she also happens to head up the rescue I volunteer for, and she decided to take him to her house to tame him. I wanted so much to adopt him but unforeseen circumstances prevented that, so Melody kept him with her and I would go visit him on a regular basis and started to bond with him. When Melody thought he was ready to be adopted I cried so much knowing that I would never see him again, but in my heart I knew it was the best thing for a family to be lucky enough to have this sweet little boy in their home. I told my husband how sad I was and he could see how much hurt I was feeling; he agreed that it was time to bring my Midnight home so that our other little kitty, Henry, would have a brother. So in September, 2015, Midnight came to live with us. I changed his name to Fred, and this sweet little boy has been so happy since. You would never know he was born into the world of ferals - he ended up a complete lap cat! He is almost 8 years old and my boys are best friends!
I had just bought a house and was moving in when this beautiful long-haired multi-colored beauty came out of nowhere, meowing away and very vocal. She stuck to me like glue. I have never been a cat lover as I am extremely allergic to them, but something about this girl tugged at my heart. Every day I would be greeted by her, either at my front door, or getting in and out of my car. Turned out she had been tossed out by the neighbor two doors down from me, and was just looking for someone to love and care for her. She was very popular in the neighborhood and everybody knew her. I ended up taking pity on her and taking her in, as she was very persistent (LOL). I have a 10-year-old yorkie-cross who was not happy with the new addition, but he got over it and now they play like brother and sister, and have each other as companions. Princess lives a good life now and is very spoiled. I wouldn't have it any other way.
In April of 2018, a new kitty showed up at my front feeding station for neighborhood cats: a tabby-striped manx. We named him Snefru for an Egyptian pharaoh. One day in August, we noticed what looked like blood seeping from his side and kept an eye on him. The wound was getting much larger, so we decided to trap him and get him some medical care. It took two weeks and some ingenuity to get him; by that time the wound was about 2” around and he acted so, so feral. We got him to the vet, where they cleaned the wound, treated it, and gave him antibiotics. They also neutered him, gave him shots etc. Today he is the biggest lap cat ever and a sweetheart. He also has autoimmune gingivitis and asthma, but we love him, problems and all. His age was estimated to be around 4. We still have our feeding stations and cameras to keep an eye on all of the kitties.
Anna (on the left in the photo) and Elsa were littermates, rescued from a feral colony when they were about a year old. A wonderful veterinary practice fostered them for roughly six additional months before I adopted them last June. I was told that Anna might never come out of her shell, that she always hid behind her much larger sister Elsa whenever anyone approached them. Socialization has progressed very slowly, but there has been a major turn-around. Tiny Anna lets me pick her up before feedings, and sometimes she even purrs to me. Elsa is more than twice Anna's size, but she has turned out to be the timid one. If I can coax Anna to play (which is usually very easy), then Elsa will either sit off to the side or will reluctantly join in. I was heartbroken when we found one another, since I'd just lost my sweet feline companion of 14+ years, but it has been a delight to introduce youthful energy into the household once more. Elsa reminds me of another black feral cat (Shadow) who entered my life 20 years ago, and I hope that she will eventually become trusting enough to curl around my head for sleep the way Shadow did after we'd been together for a long time.
When my husband and I were talking about getting a companion dog for our aging dog, Katie, we went back and forth not knowing if she could go from being an "only dog" to having a sibling. My cousin called about a 15 week old puppy that had lived his entire life in a cage and was being "fattened up" to be used as a bait dog. There was no question that we were being called to rescue this little guy! The night we got him he jumped into my arms from hers as if saying "There you are! I've been looking for you!" Our girl had no trouble showing her sibling how to move right into our hearts. Jakob became my protector, my comfort, and my joy, much like our girl was for my husband. My husband joked that if we would have been human twins, it would be like we were of one heart and mind. We lost our girl, and Jakob was right there with her as she took her last breath. We lost my husband unexpectedly in September 2017, and after 18 years of marriage my entire world fell apart. I didn't know how I could go on without him. Jakob and his feline siblings have been by my side offering support, comfort, and unconditional love - they are the reason I have gotten up every morning and keep moving. Jakob is 8 years old now. His eyesight is getting cloudy, he's a little more gray around his face....but he's still got the heart of that 15 week old puppy that jumped into my arms. This photo has always touched my heart because I was able to capture it about 14 hours after he adopted us. He had never been able to sit and look outside in his short 15 weeks of life as he only knew a cage, and was in awe of all that he was seeing as he sat and looked out our door. He still loves to sit and watch the neighbors and the world alongside his feline siblings. My life is so very blessed to have been adopted by our Jakob, and because St. Francis of Assisi protected him until he was able to jump into my arms and find his "fur-ever" home.
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