It’s official: the Ark got the most votes in the state of Alabama in the recent Petfinder Shelter Challenge. The high fives and congratulations go out to all of you for a job well done.But while you all know the Ark helps out cats and dogs in Huntsville and Madison county, I thought I would give you a couple of stories to really drive home why we are so grateful for your support in this and all of our other efforts.
This is Fannie. She is an adorable little gray kitten who seems almost frantic to give you her love and attention. You might wonder how we decided to name her Fannie.
Here’s how:
One morning as the staff was arriving at our vet (the Countryside VeterinaryHospital) one of them heard a pitiful cry from across the road. There in the grass was little Fannie, just a few weeks old. She had crawled up intothe engine in a parked car, and when the car started she must have been caught in the fan belt. She rode all the way up Old Railroad Bed Road, and when the car stopped she dropped out and crawled into the grass. The driver likely never knew she was there. She was rushed in to the clinic and examined. Her chances were grim. She had been nearly skinned by the engine, and while there appeared to be no major internal damage, she was going to need a lot of surgery and post operative care. So the vet picked up the phone and called the Ark. They spoke to Nina Beal(our director), and they told her about the little half skinned kitten.“What do you want us to do?” they asked. Nina didn’t hesitate. “Save her” she said. “It could be expensive” they told her. “Hundreds of dollars”they said. Nina still did not flinch: “Save her if you can.”
So in the weeks between her pain filled arrival at the vet and her recovery(which included a bit of surgery and a lot of TLC from the staff at Countryside) she was given a case number. She didn’t have a name for awhile, so in the space in the paperwork that required a name I just wrote ‘Fan belt Kitty’. She finally made her way to the Ark, with her scars already being hidden by her fur, Nina decided that Fannie would be her name while she was with us.
Fannie went to her forever home a few days ago, and while it is likely she has been given a new name, she’ll always be Fannie to me.
And then, for all of you dog lovers, there’s Gracie. I don’t have a picture of Gracie, but she’s a young, medium sized brown and tan mutt. Gracie was found under a car in a junk yard near Ardmore and taken to our vet.
You can see some miracles and wonders at the Ark, but sometimes you see ugliness as well. Someone had hobbled Gracie. We use the word ‘hobble’ to describe situations where you try to slow down or otherwise impede someone, but the word has a less pleasant meaning, and in Gracie’s case, a much uglier reality. Someone had used a nail or ice pick to puncture the pad on one of Gracie’s rear toes and run a ¼ inch thick cord through the pad to her collar. Not even between the toes, but through the pad.
We’re not sure why anyone would do this, but we had to undo it. We tested Gracie for all of the usual diseases, got her fixed and in general just got her healthy. I’m happy to say Gracie’s adoption was finalized last week.
All of these things cost money, and as you know, the Ark does not receive any city, county, state, or federal funding. So every bit helps, and rest assured the Petfinder grant will go towards helping the next Gracie, Fannie, Fido and Fluffy.
So pat yourselves on the back, take a breather, and get ready. The fall Petfinder Shelter Challenge starts on September 20th.
In the meantime, please stop by the Ark Tuesday through Saturday,11:00-4:00, and you can meet some of these guys yourselves. And remember the Ark motto: “Saving the life of one animal may not change the world, but it surely changes the world for that one animal.”
Meow,
Randy (aka the Catman)
Randy (aka the Catman)
