FrogInABlender
10-15-2008, 10:02 AM
Area veterinary clinics are trying to fulfill an anonymous dying woman’s wishes — to find new homes for her 32 cats.
The cats were found last week on the doorsteps of at least five vet clinics in Auburn and Opelika. The woman had divided the cats and placed them in plastic containers and cat carriers.
“These cats were dearly loved,” said Dr. Kim Bond, owner of All Creatures Veterinary Clinic, who found eight of the cats. “They’re not feral cats or neglected cats. They were dearly loved.”
When Bond arrived at work at 7 a.m. on Oct. 6, she found three plastic containers sealed with duct tape and bricks on top of them sitting at her front door.
There were holes cut into the tops of the containers. The container tops also had information written about each of the cats held inside — name, age, description, medical summary.
For example, “Jinx, long hair, gray/white, age 7” and “Crackers, small gray/white, short hair, age 7” was written on one container top. Both cats were declawed and were current on their shots, according to the handwritten information.
A handwritten note — signed by “Miss R” — taped to one of the containers explained that the woman had just found out she was dying from cancer.
“My time is very, very short. There is not enough time to find homes for my children another way,” the woman states in the letter. “… I beg you not to let them die because I have to, please!”
The words — “Please do not kill!” — were written in all capital letters on each of the containers.
The scene at All Creatures was repeated at least four other vet clinics in Lee County last week — Pet Vet, Village Vet, Opelika Animal Hospital and Animal Health Center. Pet Vet was able to find homes for all three of the cats it received.
As of Monday afternoon, Village Vet had one of the four cats they found. Opelika Animal Hospital had four cats remaining. All Creatures had four cats, including Jinx and Crackers, left for adoption.
According to several of the veterinarians at the clinics, each of the cats appears to be healthy. All of the cats appear to have good temperaments, were probably kept indoors and get along well with each other.
Dr. Buddy Bruce at Animal Health Center still has the six males dropped off Thursday at his clinic’s front door. He is offering discounts on all vet services, such as shots and neutering, to anyone who adopts one of the cats.
“Other vets that I’ve talked to say the same thing, ‘Let’s do what we can to find these kitties homes,’” Bruce said. “These are her children. She took care of the situation the best way she could.”
In her letters, Miss R. apologizes for placing a burden on the vet clinics. In the All Creatures letter, she closes with a request and a wish.
“Will you please let them know how special they are,” she states. “One day in heaven I hope to be with them again.”
No additional information or confirmation on the identity or condition of “Miss R.” was available.
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I found this story in the Auburn-Opelika (Alabama) News and it just breaks my heart! So I'm hoping there's some of you out there who live in that area who might be able to take in a cat or two. I just can't imagine the mental anguish this poor woman must be going through, having to do without her loving pets at the time when she needs love and support the worst! Now some might say that she should have done something else, but she may not have had the time or the strength to have done anthing else, and sometimes desperate times demand desperate measures, so I'm not going judge her. I'm sure she did the best she could do.
Here's a link to the original story...
http://www.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/local_vets_trying_to_fulfill_final_wish/40939/
http://media.oanow.com/oanow/img-story/images/uploads/A_32CATS_0for_web.jpg
Furby, (8 years old), right and Jinx (7 years old) play on the veterinarians’ table at All Creatures Veterinary Clinic Monday. Dr. Kim Bond, DVM, received eight cats, some of which she has found homes for, over the weekend. They are eight of 32 cats that have been passed to various veterinarians in the area by a woman who has left notes saying she is dying of cancer and wants her cats to survive her.
The cats were found last week on the doorsteps of at least five vet clinics in Auburn and Opelika. The woman had divided the cats and placed them in plastic containers and cat carriers.
“These cats were dearly loved,” said Dr. Kim Bond, owner of All Creatures Veterinary Clinic, who found eight of the cats. “They’re not feral cats or neglected cats. They were dearly loved.”
When Bond arrived at work at 7 a.m. on Oct. 6, she found three plastic containers sealed with duct tape and bricks on top of them sitting at her front door.
There were holes cut into the tops of the containers. The container tops also had information written about each of the cats held inside — name, age, description, medical summary.
For example, “Jinx, long hair, gray/white, age 7” and “Crackers, small gray/white, short hair, age 7” was written on one container top. Both cats were declawed and were current on their shots, according to the handwritten information.
A handwritten note — signed by “Miss R” — taped to one of the containers explained that the woman had just found out she was dying from cancer.
“My time is very, very short. There is not enough time to find homes for my children another way,” the woman states in the letter. “… I beg you not to let them die because I have to, please!”
The words — “Please do not kill!” — were written in all capital letters on each of the containers.
The scene at All Creatures was repeated at least four other vet clinics in Lee County last week — Pet Vet, Village Vet, Opelika Animal Hospital and Animal Health Center. Pet Vet was able to find homes for all three of the cats it received.
As of Monday afternoon, Village Vet had one of the four cats they found. Opelika Animal Hospital had four cats remaining. All Creatures had four cats, including Jinx and Crackers, left for adoption.
According to several of the veterinarians at the clinics, each of the cats appears to be healthy. All of the cats appear to have good temperaments, were probably kept indoors and get along well with each other.
Dr. Buddy Bruce at Animal Health Center still has the six males dropped off Thursday at his clinic’s front door. He is offering discounts on all vet services, such as shots and neutering, to anyone who adopts one of the cats.
“Other vets that I’ve talked to say the same thing, ‘Let’s do what we can to find these kitties homes,’” Bruce said. “These are her children. She took care of the situation the best way she could.”
In her letters, Miss R. apologizes for placing a burden on the vet clinics. In the All Creatures letter, she closes with a request and a wish.
“Will you please let them know how special they are,” she states. “One day in heaven I hope to be with them again.”
No additional information or confirmation on the identity or condition of “Miss R.” was available.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I found this story in the Auburn-Opelika (Alabama) News and it just breaks my heart! So I'm hoping there's some of you out there who live in that area who might be able to take in a cat or two. I just can't imagine the mental anguish this poor woman must be going through, having to do without her loving pets at the time when she needs love and support the worst! Now some might say that she should have done something else, but she may not have had the time or the strength to have done anthing else, and sometimes desperate times demand desperate measures, so I'm not going judge her. I'm sure she did the best she could do.
Here's a link to the original story...
http://www.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/local_vets_trying_to_fulfill_final_wish/40939/
http://media.oanow.com/oanow/img-story/images/uploads/A_32CATS_0for_web.jpg
Furby, (8 years old), right and Jinx (7 years old) play on the veterinarians’ table at All Creatures Veterinary Clinic Monday. Dr. Kim Bond, DVM, received eight cats, some of which she has found homes for, over the weekend. They are eight of 32 cats that have been passed to various veterinarians in the area by a woman who has left notes saying she is dying of cancer and wants her cats to survive her.