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10/16/09
Best Friends Animal Society encourages people to use National Feral Cat Day on Oct. 16 as an opportunity to learn how they can be part of the solution to make life better for homeless cats.
Some simple steps to help homeless cats:
- If you feed stray cats, spay and neuter them so that the breeding cycle is stopped.
- Keep your own cats from becoming statistics. Keep them indoors. Get them spayed or neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped. If you want your cat to have outside experiences, please consider screening-in a porch or patio, building a cattery, investing in special cat fencing, and/or teaching your cat to walk on a harness.
- Support your local community trap/neuter/return (TNR) groups. Donate — even small amounts add up. Volunteer a couple of hours a month.
- Become a caregiver for a local cat colony.
- Foster adoptable kittens or lost house cats rescued during TNR operations.
About Best Friends Animal Society:
Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit, membership organization building no-kill programs and partnerships that will bring about a day when there are No More Homeless Pets®. The society’s leading initiatives in animal care and community programs are coordinated from its Kanab, Utah, headquarters, the country’s largest no-kill sanctuary. This work is made possible by the personal and financial support of a grassroots network of members and community partners across the nation. In 2009, Best Friends celebrates its 25th anniversary. Learn more at http://www.bestfriends.org
[PHOTO: juliezickefoose.com]
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10/06/09
Cash the Cat may have set a new world record for cats awaiting adoption; he’s been waiting for 19 years (longer, even than Minxy did!). This heartwarming story describes how Lee Van Camp — a woman with a very big heart — was willing to give Cash a chance at a happy home in his sunset years.
The following success story is from Best Friends Animal Society:
Story by David Dickson
Photos by Molly Wald
Chasing dreams is not always for the faint of heart. Some dreams come easy, others take much longer. Some take so long, in fact, that they seem to fade into the distance and all but disappear. For Cash the cat, it would be easy to understand if he ever became discouraged about the dream of finding a home. After all, he’d been waiting over 19 years.
Cash was found as a stray 4-week-old kitten with FIV. He came to Best Friends at the time and has been here ever since. Heck, he’s been at the sanctuary longer than a lot of the buildings.
When Lee Van Camp of Fountain Hills, Arizona, began thinking about adopting a cat from Best Friends, she knew just what to do. A previous Best Friends adopter twice over, Lee wrote to Best Friends adoption manager Kristi Litrell and told her what she was looking for — an older, special needs cat.
Her previous two adoptions at Best Friends were senior dogs. P.J. and Brandon were each 13-years-old when Lee adopted them. “They deserve to have a good home,” Lee says, about older pets. “Even though they may not be with you for ten years or more, you can still give them the same love.”
So when it came time to adopt a cat, Lee knew from the outset she wasn’t going to be picking a kitten. Kristi wrote back with a suggestion that sounded promising. Cash was an FIV cat who had been at Best Friends waiting for a home for 19 years. He didn’t have any teeth (which incidentally means he can’t infect another animal with FIV), but was otherwise in good health. Would she like to meet him?
Lee drove up to Best Friends and spent an entire week with Cash. Her first impression upon meeting him was that he didn’t look like an almost-20-year-old cat. She thought he seemed a lot younger. She also came to recognize very quickly at least some of the reasons why he might have been overlooked for so long.
“He’s not the cat who will come marching over to say hello,” Lee explains. He was the wallflower — the one in the background who avoided the spotlight every chance he could.
Cashing in
Even though Cash tried to pull the shy routine with Lee, she was determined to win him over with kindness. Armed with persistence and a pocketful of treats, Lee spent day after day bonding with Cash. It didn’t take long before Cash recognized something special in her.
 Before the week was over, Cash would even crawl up on her lap for pets and goodies. By the time she had to leave the sanctuary, Lee knew she could give him a good home — the home he’s always deserved. “His forever home,” as she likes to emphasize. Make no mistake, now at Lee’s residence, this cat is not going anywhere.
Lee knows a thing or two about caring for older animals. Her dog P.J., the one she adopted from Best Friends last year, is on a whole assortment of various medications and treatments. Undaunted, Lee takes in stride all the special needs that can come with age for P.J. and her other pets. To her way of thinking, though, Cash is a walk in the park. No real special needs, other than the fact he’s not a spry young kitten any more.
If there’s one thing Lee likes to pass along to others, it’s encouraging them to consider adopting an older pet. “There’s nothing like it,” she explains. “They are so appreciative to finally get a forever home.” That certainly includes Cash.
For the entire car ride home, Cash never made one sound. Every time she’d lean back and look at him, Cash would just glance back quietly. You have to wonder if he kept waiting for someone to pinch him and wake him up.
In his new home, Cash is finally getting to experience all those things he’s heard so much about over the years. Things like closets and beds. But even the everyday stuff takes some getting used to. If Lee is on the bed, for example, Cash will join her. If she’s gone, however, no dice. Remember, human furniture might as well be a UFO floating around the living room for all he’s seen of the inside of a house!
Lee knows Cash might take a little while getting used to a home setting. So far, however, he seems content with this newfangled approach to living. It will only get better from here. And no matter what else, as Lee says, “He’s going to get lots of love.”
Congratulations, the both of you. Thanks for the reminder that dreams do indeed come true.
Cash may have been one of the sanctuary’s longest-term residents, however, there are still plenty of other mature felines who are available for adoption.
You, too, can make a senior cat’s life happy in her last few years, or save a special-needs cat from certain euthanization. Check with your local shelter or Best Friends to find out how to adopt.
Cash is living proof that FIV positive cats can live long, healthy lives. My mother-in-law has a senior formerly-feral FIV+ cat who is over 15 years old. Aside from a thyroid problem and occasional dental extractions, he’s been in great health, and is one of the sweetest, most loving cats I’ve even known.
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09/03/09
Cats, like their humans, are naturally drawn to Las Vegas. The promise of easy riches, free-flowing catnip and the bright lights can be irresistible.
But the outlook is grim for the unlucky few who lose it all and don’t have bus fare back home. They end up begging for handouts at the all-you-can-eat buffets, and seeking refuge during the day from the brutal desert sun.
Fortunately, Best Friends Animal Society has teamed up with a Las Vegas casino to set up a trap-neuter-return program to help Las Vegas ferals. Here’s the story from Best Friends’ staff writer Sandy Miller:
Vegas hotel-casino to have trap/neuter/return program
By Sandy Miller, Best Friends’ staff writer
 They aren’t looking to win a seven-figure jackpot that would set them up for life. They aren’t wishing for a lucky turn of the dice. And they couldn’t care less about all those slot machines.
All they’re looking for are regular meals and a safe place to live out their lives. And thanks to Best Friends Animal Society, along with some help from local volunteers, the cats at one large Las Vegas hotel and casino are getting just that.
Like a number of businesses, the hotel-casino has discovered that the best way ― and indeed the most humane way ― to deal with the feral cats on its property is to set up a trap/neuter/return program. So Best Friends staff and local volunteers are setting up feeding stations in areas of the property that don’t have tourist traffic.
“The hotel has done the right thing,” says Shelly Kotter, campaign specialist for Focus on Felines, one of four campaigns aimed at reaching the goal of No More Homeless Pets. “It’s a long-term solution that will have benefits for the hotel and the cats.”
Kotter said she doesn’t want to reveal the name of the hotel-casino because people might abandon their cats there.
Best Friends staff and volunteers will humanely trap the 15 to 20 cats living on the hotel property and take them to a Las Vegas veterinary clinic that has agreed to provide low-cost spaying and neutering.
“Volunteers will be a big part of it,” Kotter says.
Feral and shy cats account for a large percentage of the five million animals that are killed in U.S. shelters each year. But it’s been shown that trapping and killing feral cats does nothing to keep their numbers down. Once those cats are gone, other unaltered cats will simply take their place, bringing nuisances like spraying and late-night mating calls with them. And it doesn’t take long for their populations to grow.
What does work is trap/neuter/return, or TNR. The cats are humanely trapped and taken to a veterinary clinic where they’re spayed or neutered and vaccinated. While under the anesthesia, a small tip of one of their ears is taken off to identify that they’re part of a managed cat colony. Then  they’re returned to the area from which they came where caregivers continue to feed and watch over them. Spaying and neutering takes care of all the nuisances associated with unaltered cats.
Best Friends is launching a Las Vegas chapter of its Focus on Felines campaign and hopes more Las Vegas residents will get involved in helping the city’s feral and stray cats ― or “community cats.” Best Friends will hold a free workshop for feral cat caregivers and others interested in learning how to help community cats from 1 to 3 p.m., Sept. 5, inside the Findlay Chevrolet Community Room at 6800 S. Torrey Pines Dr., in Las Vegas.
Among other things, the workshop will cover:
- The basics of TNR
- Understanding relocation
- Working with your neighbors on nuisance concerns
- Working with your local vets
- Working with your local government and animal control
To learn more, e-mail Kotter at shellyk@bestfriends.org.
Read more about Best Friends’ Focus on Felines campaign.
Photos by Molly Wald, Best Friends’ photographer.
[LINK: Best Friends Animal Society; TOP PHOTO: icanhascheezburger.com]
Don’t forget! You can leave a comment on this post for an entry in The Cat’s Meow’s giveaway of a custom oil painting of your cat by Linden Alley.
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08/14/09
 Forgive me for deviating from cat-related news today, but the topic transcends species and I need your help in communicating to the Philadelphia Eagles that animal cruelty is NOT OKAY.
Yesterday, the Philiadelphia Eagles signed sociopath animal torturer Michael Vick to a one-year, $1.6 million deal with a one year option. Here are the details as reported by AP:
PHILADELPHIA – A remorseful Michael Vick wants a second chance and vowed to crusade for animal rights with the Philadelphia Eagles — and knows he won’t be easily forgiven by fans.
“I know I’ve done some terrible things, made a horrible mistake. Now I want to be part of the solution and not the problem,” Vick said Friday, referring to his conviction for his role in running a dogfighting ring.
Vick was introduced by the Eagles a day after signing a one-year deal for $1.6 million with a team option for a second year for $5.2 million. None of the money is guaranteed, so the Eagles face no financial risk if Vick does not make the team.
As upset as I was that the NFL had reinstated Vick, I am livid that a team has actually signed him. Vick’s claims that he will crusade for animal rights fall on deaf ears in my household. He’s a sociopath with a multi-million dollar career at stake. It would be a far better deterrent for future dog fight promoters to see that Vick’s life was ruined by his actions, rather than seeing him serve a brief stint in jail and return to his former glory, making it all better by saying, whoops, my bad, sorry.
Sorry, Mike: in my book you don’t deserve a second chance.
Vick had hands-on involvement in his dog-fight operation, including killing some of the dogs. Rather than being put down immediately, the surviving dogs were rescued and are being rehabilitated. Here’s the story of Shadow, rescued by Best Friends Animal Society:
Shadow used to be so shy he’d hide in the corner and try to disappear. When he came to Best Friends he wanted nothing to do with anybody. He was completely shut down.
 Not surprising when you learn what he’s had to live through. Shadow is one of the 22 dogs who came to Best Friends from the estate of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick after he was arrested and charged with “conspiracy to engage in dog fighting in violation of the animal welfare act.”
Out of all 22 Vicktory dogs who came to Best Friends, Shadow was perhaps the most withdrawn. Everything terrified him. On his walks, he’d do a sort of commando crawl the whole way, staying as low to the ground as possible.
Wow, what a turnaround! It’s amazing what a little TLC can do (okay, a lot of TLC). Once Shadow came to realize that everybody wanted to love him and help him get better, he became a different dog entirely. Nowadays he loves visitors, walks, and all things fun. An amazing act of healing in a dog who used to think the entire world was one big scary problem to hide from.
Best Friends and Pit Bull rescue organization Bad Rap were two of the groups who helped rescue Vick’s dogs, and rehabilitation, though mostly successful, has not been easy. The scars were not only skin deep. The dogs were abused emotionally as well as physically.
Currently, the only outlets I know of to express your outrage to the Eagles, owner Jeffrey Laurie and coach Andy Reid is to 1) sign a petition and 2) send an email through their website. No, it won’t do any good, but I think it’s important to let them know that pursuit of the almighty dollar does not trump animal cruelty. If enough people voice their outrage, we might move a little closer in this country to implementing a zero-tolerance policy toward animal cruelty.
Please tweet this post [short URL: http://su.pr/1Pw5IU] and get the word out.
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08/07/09
The following was published in Best Friends’ newsletter this week, and it’s a testimony to the recuperative power of love.
Former Great Kitty Rescue cat woos the ladies
August 5, 2009 : 8:53 AM ET
A cat named Jinx is showing his true colors. It turns out he’s a lady’s man.
Life hasn’t always been easy for Jinx. Somewhere along the way, he lost much of his nose.
His life with Best Friends started during the Great Kitty Rescue when he and hundreds of other cats were confiscated by county officials in Southern Nevada because of an institutional hoarding case. The cats all lived together on the hot desert floor when the county turned over care of the cats to Best Friends.
 In the meantime, Jinx developed skin cancer and by the time he was rescued, it was too late for his tiny face to be the same. So Jinx was one of a couple hundred cats from Nevada who came to live at the sanctuary to get some much needed TLC.
Despite his nose, the ladies still think Jinx is a handsome boy. He lives in Rescue Village, a medical yurt set up especially for the rescued kitties on the grounds of Best Friends’ sanctuary, in a screened-off room where he can see and interact with other cats.
“Darkstar, a young, all-black, flirtatious kitty has taken quite a liking to Jinx,” says Linda Gage, manager of The Learning Experience for Best Friends who still watches over the rescued Nevada cats. “At lunchtime, Darkstar walks the fence, rubbing and cooing. Jinx, in return, jumps down from his perch, approaches the fence and meows gently to her. Several of the other gals, Holiday and Jewel, join in the gathering. They are all interested in Mr. Jinx.”
What’s doubly great about all that attention, Gage says, is that Jinx is just as interested in them. “We were originally told that he didn’t enjoy being with other cats and was afraid of them,” she says. “If that was the case, it’s not now.”
 Jinx gets one-on-one time with Patch, another cat in a single room next to Jinx’s. “During the day we open the gate between Jinx and Patch and Jinx wanders over all the time, paying no mind to Patch at all,” Gage says. “Jinx jumps up on the shelving unit to his special orange bed and suns himself in the afternoon light.”
For a time, Jinx stayed in an office with Shelley Thayer, who at the time was circulation manager for Best Friends magazine and shared her office with senior copy editor Mary Girouard. “During the 10 months he stayed in our office,” Thayer says, “he began to blossom in his own stately way. When he walked, his movements were slow and cautious. He ate as slowly as he could, though he appeared ready to gobble.”
He tapped slowly at toys “and only if he thought we weren’t looking,” she says.
Slowly but surely, he started to come out of his shell. “Jinx changed from an inanimate creature to an actual curious cat during his time in our office,” Thayer says.
And, now, Gage says, he’ll be exposed to even more friends. “We are going to put Jinx in the big run with his ladies and the other cats to see how he does,” she says. “It’ll be closely monitored, but it looks like it’ll be a great fit.”
So have you fallen in love with Jinx, yet? He’s adoptable!
[LINK: Best Friends Animal Society]
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05/02/09
The following appeared both on the Best Friends website, and in the most recent issue of Best Friends Magazine. People who dismiss animals as not having memories, or not being capable of feelings and emotion need to spend some time with a cat like Monkey….
I Remember You
For any parents who have ever slaved over a hard task for the benefit of their kids, only to wonder afterward if their efforts were even noticed, take hope! They notice … four-legged kids as well as two-legged. Monkey the feral cat (pictured above) is proof.
Monkey used to be part of a feral cat colony in northern Utah. Ken Kemp, the man who looked after Monkey’s colony, did everything he could to make sure the cats had a good life. Then the authorities pulled the rug out from under everybody: The colony was ordered to leave. This happened three years ago. Ken hustled and found homes for as many of the cats as he could, but Monkey and four of his siblings couldn’t find homes. Luckily, a spot opened up at the sanctuary, so they came to Best Friends.
Now, Monkey has always been a recluse. He perfected a grumpy scowl that he would send down from the rafters of his cat room. This look said one thing: “Leave me alone!” Caregivers gave Monkey his space.
For a time, Ken visited the cats every six months or so. Then he moved out of the area and couldn’t come as often. Not long ago, however, one of Monkey’s siblings passed away. When Ken heard the news, he knew he had to come back and visit.
Remember, Monkey was the poster boy for cats who don’t want to play with people. Well, seeing his old friend Ken changed something inside. Monkey came over and allowed Ken to pet him. Somehow, the connection with his old pal gave Monkey a confidence he’d never shown before.
Gerri Kadlec, one of Monkey’s caregivers, walked in on that jaw-dropping scene. “I never thought I’d see the day,” says Gerri. Neither did anybody else. But they weren’t going to waste an opportunity! Before Monkey could slip back up to the rafters, his caregivers sneaked through the window that Ken had cracked open.
And guess what? Monkey was OK with it. Yeah, he acted a little reluctant at first, but he didn’t run away this time. And the really crazy part is how fast things moved along from there. Within a couple of months, Monkey transformed into a leg-weaving love junkie who meows for attention whenever a person shows up. He even lets visitors pet him!
That should be reassuring to anybody who cares for feral colonies, kindergartners, or any other kids. They notice what you do for them. And their lives are all the better because of it.
Story by David Dickson
Photo by Gary Kalpakoff
Join Best Friends’ Feral Cat Program community!
Or, meet shy sanctuary cats like Monkey who are up for adoption.
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04/20/09
The following is an account of a trip that Catster member Heather made to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, which included a doggie sleepover! (Yes, cat sleepovers are also available.) I visited Best Friends about 12 years ago, and heartily concur with Heather’s observation that it is an incredibly serene and special place. Here’s her report:
We were supposed to arrive at Best Friends by 9:30, and we ended up arriving 45 minutes early! We were able to check in and do our volunteer orientation early, giving us some time to walk around Horse Haven. I got to see Riley, the horse who had one of her legs amputated and walks with a prosthesis! I also got to meet Grandpa Bernie, the sweet old burro born in 1975. We saw some pot bellied pigs and some goats too, not to mention several other horses like Waco and Mente.
 Best Friends horse, Riley, an amputee with a prosthesis At 10:00, it was time to watch a video, and it was a special one about the 25th anniversary of Best Friends. I’d actually seen some of it on their Facebook page! After the video, we went on the 1.5 hour tour. We rode around part of the 38,000 acres in a van with our tour guide and her golden, Abby (one of the perks of working there – well behaved dogs get to come to work with their pawrents!). Most of the tour took place in the van. We rode by bunches of horses on our way to Angel’s Rest, which we just drove by (and I swear, I was already fighting back tears just seeing it). Then, we drove past part of Dogtown on our way to Cat World, our first stop! We got to go in one of the ten cat buildings, Casa de Calmar. We went in an FeLV room. All the kitties were happy and the place was just amazing. There were cubbyholes, cat trees and scratching posts and kitty beds everywhere. In each room, there are cat doors leading to a covered outdoor enclosure complete with more cat trees, beds, and best of all, branches and rafters for the cats to climb on. We weren’t supposed to pick any cats up, but that didn’t stop the cats from climbing on us! I had a cat in my lap pretty much the whole 10 minutes that we got to stay in Casa de Calmar.
We then drove past the bunny area and Feathered Friends on our way to none other than the one, the only Dogtown!! The dog buildings are called octagons because they are 8-sided. Each has runs in which two-four dogs live, and there are doggy doors leading to outdoor enclosures. We passed by Rhonda, the octagon in which the Vicktory dogs live! We saw several pit bulls out in the outdoor part of their homes, and I guess some of them may have been the very dogs themselves! That area is off-limits to volunteers as far as I could tell, and I was just grateful to have been able to see it.
 These are some of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick. 22 dogs were brought to Best Friends, where they have a forever home, even if they are not able to be rehabilitated to the point that it would be safe for them to be adopted out. We stopped at Jethro, one of two octagons that comprises The Garden. There were some volunteers there, and they had a big black lab out; we got to pet him. His name was Big Guy, and he sure was a Big Guy!
After the tour, we had a vegetarian lunch at Angel Village, the on-site cafeteria. It happens to sit atop a cliff overlooking yet another amazing view. We ate outside facing that view.
Next came volunteering with the kitties! We signed in at Cat Headquarters, and I was asked if there was a specific location I wanted to volunteer. I told the coordinator that I’d requested to meet Scooter and Thumper, and she said, “OK, Kitty Motel it is!” This was yet another dream come true for me. I finally knew for sure that I’d meet my sweet Scooter and Thumper. I’ve read so much about those cats and sponsored them so much in the past, but I never really thought I’d get to meet them. It occurred to me that it might be upsetting to really see them – Scooter was born with no back legs and Thumper was attacked by a dog, leaving her paralyzed. Kitty Motel is the area where the special needs kitties (those with deformities, the geriatrics, the incontinent kitties, and those with FIV) live.  Those with the severe deformities like Scooter and Thumper live in the lobby. We walked to Kitty Motel and opened the door. All of a sudden a herd of kitties headed our way! Some walked or ran; others dragged themselves. The very first one I saw was Scooter, scooting my way. It’s true what it says on his sponsorship page on Best Friends that he is always the first to greet visitors! There were many kitties there I’d never known anything about.
Scooter and Thumper were every bit as perfect as I’d imagined them to be. Thumper has the sweetest little face, and she really enjoys getting attention. So does Scooter, but I think he prefers treats even more than petting. One of the people who works at Kitty Motel, Frank, threw some treats on the floor. Scooter, with his two legs, got most of the treats. He beat out able-bodied kitties and paralyzed kitties alike! It was pretty neat. Pokey was a very sweet kitty, kind of like Thumper – paralyzed back legs. It’s very surprising how well kitties like that can get around. Dancer and Mouse live in the lobby of Kitty Motel; they both have neurological disorders making it hard for them to control their movements. It’s hard for them to get around and their movements must be very deliberate. Mouse has to be hand-fed (her head has to even be held still so she can eat). Smokey was probably the one that upset me the most, simply because her past had been so tragic and unnecessary. She’d been deliberately injured by an evil child with a firecracker. She was left incontinent and needing a surgery to fuse the bones of one of her legs together. Charlotte was another who lives there; she was born with Manx syndrome and also had to have leg bones fused. Jessica was also in the lobby, and there’s nothing wrong with her; she just likes to be there because lots of volunteers come to Kitty Motel and she loves the attention! I met Mystery, one of the cats from the Pahrump, Nevada rescue (a hoarding situation – a rescue had something like 800 cats living in awful conditions and Best Friends came to the rescue).
In the geriatric room, my two favorite kitties were Mittens and Carolina. They are soooooooooooo incredibly sweet! I hated to leave both of them. Midnight was another precious one from Geriatrics.
I met lots of awesome kitties in the FIV room as well. Tom is the one who stands out in my memory. He was an attention hound!
The thing about all these cats is . . . even though most of them have serious problems like paralysis, neurological disorders, abusive pasts, etc, they are HAPPY. That’s why I didn’t shed a single tear for any of them. I was afraid I would weep for Scooter, unable to run or jump. Or Thumper, who has to drag her hind end. But those are some of the most content cats I’ve ever seen, and it’s evident they are loved. So what would, in any other circumstances, be a sad situation, is simply not sad.
Our time at Kitty Motel ended all too soon, and then we were off to Dogtown to request a dog for a sleepover.
At Dog Headquarters, we were asked if we had any preferences, and when we said no, we were assigned a dog in need of a sleepover . . . and that happened to be none other than Big Guy, the only dog we had met earlier! It was so cool that we ended up with him. We were given some of his toys, a water bowl, a blanket, a rag, and some treats. We were informed that Big Guy had already been adopted but was still at Best Friends because he had to have surgery on his leg (he tore his knee). He was on anti-inflammatories and pain meds, and we were told we could, and should, walk him, and not to baby him!
We stayed in Cabin 9. Best Friends has only three cabins; I still can’t believe I managed to get one. After stopping by our cabin (at the foot of a mountain – another amazing view), we took Big Guy to Zion National Park. It was about a 30 mile drive from the sanctuary. We stopped several times and walked BG around. And of course we took tons of pictures.
 Here I am with BG outside of our cabin. There are only THREE cabins at Best Friends, and they are almost always booked months in advance. Somehow, I managed to reserve this one just two days before our arrival thanks to a cancellation! The cabins come complete with a small fenced-in area and a doggy door!
When we got back to the cabin, we noticed the guest journal. It stays there for all who stay there to write about their experiences. I took pictures of all the pages so I’d be able to have them forever, and I also wrote two pages about my experiences. The time we spent with BG in the cabin was so much fun. The only bad thing was that there was no internet access or cell phone coverage, but even that wasn’t so bad. It was kind of nice being isolated. No worries (truly, Best Friends is the most peaceful place I’ve ever been).
 Big Guy is Pooped Guy after an action-packed day with Heather. Tuesday morning, we got up early and returned BG to Jethro. Then we went to Dog Headquarters to return his things. National Geographic was there filming for DogTown. It was so neat! I even saw Michelle Besmehn, the lady who is on most of the episodes!
We had one last stop before leaving Best Friends, and that was Angel’s Rest. I just couldn’t go to the sanctuary without visiting that beautiful resting place. I was crying before I even opened the gate. I knew it would happen but I just had to go there. It’s overwhelming seeing all those graves, all those markers, all those memorials. And the wind chimes. They are placed in memory of member pets. All was still when we were there, but I can only imagine the sound as a gentle breeze flows through the sacred land.
 Chimes at Angel’s Rest I wandered around crying for a little while, and then I started to get things back under control. The tears weren’t even really that much for sadness but for gratefulness that those animals felt love and are remembered. While at Angel’s Rest, we met the caretaker. He told us that he knows where every single marker is in that whole place and that he also remembers where new markers are placed. He explained that some of the animals are from the sanctuary, and others are brought there by their owners to be laid to rest. He then said that it was time for him to feed “his kids.” We asked if we could come along, and he let us. There is a secluded trail behind the cemetery, and he walks it every day, throwing out feed for all the little critters that live out there: antelope squirrels, wild turkeys, rock squirrels, quail, blue jays, bunnies, etc.). He always takes the trail one way then goes back to the cemetery a different way, so that the animals are used to his presence and know that once he walks by, he won’t return and they’re free to eat. So we walked with him, turning around to see dozens of little critters enjoying their breakfast.
That was the end of our Best Friends trip, and I was so sad to leave it. I really want to return. And I will, someday. I think everyone should go to Best Friends at least once. It’s a healing place.
Heather’s right; everyone should visit at least once. You can volunteer at Best Friends, or just drop by for a tour. The closest major airport is Las Vegas, and it’s near Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
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01/17/09
As part of an innovative new program geared at socializing adoptable cats, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is now encouraging visitors to take cats with them overnight in their hotel rooms. The first trial run was held with cats Apollo and Teela, and humans Cyndi Pearce and Sherri Orner from North Carolina.
Click here to watch a video of their slumber pawty.
Best Friends has had a doggie sleepover program in place for years, but cats are a little trickier, given their penchant for springing at any open door. With the success of this trial run, the program is now officially kicked off. So if you’re ever in southern Utah, drop by and check out a cat! We visited Best Friends about ten years ago, and it really is a little slice of heaven. If you’re visiting Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon or the north rim of the Grand Canyon (much nicer than the south rim), set some time aside to drop by.
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12/24/08
Hey evrybuddy, Skeezix heer. Are yoo offishully freeking out abowt Krissmiss gifts yoo still need to buy?
You can drop by Best Friends Animal Society and sponsor a cat (or any of thare other animuls) or make a donation in the name of the cat lover on yer gift list — and yer gift will be sent via emale (or yoo can print out the confirmation and stik it in a giftwrapped box!) It’s an espeshully good choice fur the persun hoo has evrything and wood end up regifting whutever yoo gave them anyway! As most of yoo know, Best Friends is the home to a lot of animuls — adoptable as well as unadoptable, seniors, special-needs pets, and barnyard animals. Even berds!
Klik heer to give a Best Friends gift. Yoo have the option of a gift, a membership, or a sponsorship. Sponsorships are my favorite, cuz yoo get to pik owt the cat yoo want to “adopt” and reed thare stories. Sumtimes thare stories make my face leek, but it always makes me feel good to help them out. Yoo can also make donations in memory of someone or somecat. Gifts and memberships can be sent via an e-greeting card. Sponsorships are only $25. And who would ever think of regifting the gift of love?
Heer are just a few of the cats yoo cood sponsor:
BILLIEThis one could sit in your lap all day!
 Billie’s had a tough go of it. She was abandoned at the sanctuary in the dead of winter, and it took a few days for her to be found. By the time she was found, she had lost control over her muscular coordination, was severely dehydrated and horribly malnourished. But you should see her now.
With no lingering health problems and her weight regained, Billie couldn’t be happier to be alive, which she shows by soliciting pets and cuddles from just about everyone she meets. And you should hear the music she purrs when she’s comfortably ensconced in your lap.
Billie is definitely a people-cat. She even prefers you to be around when she eats. But she sometimes growls at her fellow felines. She can hold her own against them, but she doesn’t love them the way she loves people.
Billie could spend her whole life being held by you … if you’d let her. Won’t you come pick her up in your arms and take her home?
Or share your love from afar and sponsor this sweet survivor instead!
HOMER
 Do you feel an intense set of eyes on you? Homer must be in the room! He’s like a shy sphinx, always watching his visitors from way up high in the rafters, as though he can see right through them and into their deepest hearts. He’s a handsome orange tabby, but you won’t get to see him too closely. He keeps to himself, and even the other cats seem to respect him and allow him his space. A very intense fellow.
Homer was born in 1996, a stray found in a dumpster. It may not have been a very dignified way to start out in life, but now this fascinating fixture at Best Friends enjoys the rafters and his private, prowling life. Perhaps a sponsor would receive the blessings of this mysterious sphinx!
HUGO
“I have cancer. Do you still love me?”
Hugo is a happy, active, bundle of fun. A little shy about approaching you, but working on it!
 He came from an animal shelter that had fallen apart, and where the animals weren’t being taken care of. He was scared when they found him there. And worse yet, it turned out the little boy has cancer. So he’s going to need a very special home.
He’s only three years old, and gets along very well with other cats. He’s still a little traumatized from neglect … but you can teach him to do almost anything if you offer him a treat! It’s the best way to get him into your lap. He’s working on it. And if anyone deserves a place to finally belong and be accepted — in a real home — it’s Hugo.
And while he’s waiting, please help him receive the care he needs by sponsoring this playful guy today!
JINX
What happened to his little nose?
It’s a terrible thing. When he was living out at a shelter in Nevada  that had fallen into neglect, Jinx developed skin cancer, and it just progressed and progressed under the hot sun. By the time he was rescued, it was too late for his little face ever to be the same again!
And he’s such a nice cat, too. He loves to be petted, and he’s only about two years old. A little shy about being picked up, and a little bashful around other cats, but with love and care, he’d be sure to blossom in a home, getting more confident about being held, as well as feeling more sure around the other cats (if there happened to be a couple.) He’s just hoping his funny-looking face won’t mean he’ll never get the chance!
In the meantime, Jinx sure could use some help gaining confidence, and would be so happy if you sponsored him.
SCOOTER
Scooter was born without back legs. But he’s a happy guy …  especially when he gets visitors! Every time someone comes to see him, he gets all excited and scoots as fast as he can to be a good host. His eyes are huge and alert … they look almost crazy with enthusiasm when you pet him. His purr is snorty and cute. Some of us think that with his gigantic head and funny fangs, he looks something like a Sesame Street puppet!
Scooter was born in 1997. He was a ‘clinic cat’ in Arizona, keeping a vet staff company and greeting visitors. But because he had no back legs, some of the clientele reported feeling disturbed by his appearance. So the poor guy got fired as welcomer. Now we’re happy to have him here, welcoming our guests at Kitty Motel.
To see these and lots more cats in need of sponsorship, klik heer.
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11/23/08
Would you be willing to donate $1 to save a cat’s life?
Most of you are probably aware of last year’s horrific cat hoarding situation in Pahrump, Nevada (at the edge of Death Valley), in which over 800 cats were kept in nightmarish conditions at FLOCK, which posed as an animal sanctuary but was in fact little more than an institutionalized hoarding situation. Best Friends Animal Society successfully took legal action to have the cats seized and turned over to them (and is ensuring that those involved are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law). Sadly, hundreds of cats perished from starvation and neglect, but hundreds more were saved and have found furever homes. One of the early whistleblowers — who eventually adopted Muppet — describes what happened:
There were just a few of us at the beginning and we had no clue that FLOCK was not asking for any help. We were not FLOCK, we were the ones that had been trying to shut down Flock for some time. When it became obvious that no help was coming, I  called Best Friends. The new owners of FLOCK told Best Friends that they didn’t need their help, that the cats were fine!!! After 4 weeks of pure exhaustion, my heart completely ripped out from seeing so much horrifying suffering, two of us called Best Friends again sobbing for them to please come and help. They sent out 4 people (that’s when Troy snapped that photo of Cover Girl) to investigate. Flock naturally ran them off within a week, but they got to see the horrible condition that cats were in. They hooked up with animal control and two weeks later the cats and the property were seized and handed over to Best Friends. I stayed another two weeks until they had enough volunteers show up. Muppet and two others I had already smuggled off of the property in mid June. Denise had smuggled 36 critical cats out of there. I did have Best Friends document that I adopted her from them. So if anything were to happen to me, I know that Muppet will go to them and be in excellent hands.”
Muppet was one of the “lucky” ones (the photo below right was taken shortly after she was rescued). Muppet was emaciated and almost bald from malnutrition, mange and ringworm when she was smuggled out. Her mom tells Muppet’s story:
I rescued Muppet from a huge cat sanctuary [FLOCK] where the cats had been left to starve.  Several hundred did not make it and many more were critical when we arrived to try and help. Muppet and Beannie Baby were among the most critical too and the heartbreaking day when Beannie Baby died from kidney failure I scooped up Muppet and brought her home. I didn’t want to let her out of my sight. She weighed only 4 pounds, she was emaciated and dehydrated. She could barely walk and she looked like a puppet on strings when she tried. It’s been over 3 months now, and Muppet weighs in at 6 pounds. Still needs to gain a couple more pounds. Her kidneys are thankfully hanging in there, but she’s still having some problems with her ears. For the first month after we brought her home, she slept by the food and water bowls. She didn’t want her food and water to ever get ‘lost’ again. She’s learned to trust again that the food and water will always be there, so now she likes to sleep on a bed or by a window. Her personality is starting to come out and she is such a sweet little character. We love her so much.
 Muppet nows weighs over seven pounds and is in otherwise good health, but she needs a surgical procedure to correct the problem in her ears. If it is not corrected and the pain meds are no longer effective, the excruciating pain that results will make it necessary to euthanize her. Muppet’s family has made many financial sacrifices this last year to ensure she gets medical treatment, but the $5000 price tag for her surgery is beyond their means.
That’s the cue for Catsters to come to Muppet’s rescue.
A Catster Group — Muppet’s Bucket — has been organized to support fund-raising efforts for Muppet’s surgery. (This fund-raiser is Catster-approved.) Catsters Winnie and Chester have agreed to MATCH ALL DONATIONS up to $1000 for donations made before Wednesday 11/26, and Catster Ele’ will match donations made before Wednesday up to $500. Another Catster set up a Paypal account and will cover all Paypal charges so that 100% of your donation goes to help Muppet. Here’s how you can donate:
Donations made by Check or Money Order
Make payable to A.C.C. of Pahrump
Mail to:
Attn: Tina/Muppet’s Fund
A.C.C. of Pahrump
6981 N. Hwy 160
Pahrump NV 89060
Credit Card donations
Please call Tina at 775-751-2224
PayPal Donations (you can make credit card and electronic check donations via Paypal)
The vet’s office is not able to use PayPal. Allie will accept PayPal donations on behalf of Muppet. To donate by PayPal please use:
allie AT murraycat DOT com
Please put “Muppet” in the comments.
It would be a shame if, after everything Muppet has gone through, she had to be euthanized. She is otherwise in good health, and only the ear problem stands between her and happily ever after. Every single donation helps — whether it’s $1 or $1000. If everyone who reads this blog donated $1, the surgery could be paid for!
UPDATE!!!! As of Sunday night (11/23), almost half the money has been raised. Catsters will be holding an online auction to raise additional money. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE AUCTION ITEMS. Catsters will be donating some amazing cat-themed hand-crafted items.
[PHOTO CREDIT (top photo): BestFriends.org]
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