Modupe Oshikoya is happy to have her cat Rosie back after a long two week ordeal. First Rosie was rescued from a terrible fire and resuscitated, then she escaped before a firefighter could deliver her to a neighbor for safe keeping and was on her own for two weeks before she was found.
Rosie survived a fire that that burned three triple decker apartment buildings in the Dorchester section of Boston, MA where she lived with her guardian. The fire raged with such force that fire officials called it a firestorm.
Modupe Oshikoya is a Londoner who came over from the UK last August to pursue her doctorate at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Rosie came over to join her in October. According to a story in the Boston Globe, Modupe adopted Rosie four years ago from a cat charity, and was told that Rose had been bullied by the other cats at the shelter and needed a home where she could feel safe. Modupe took the time to earn Rosie’s trust and to make her feel safe.
Modupe was not at home on March 27 when the terrible 6 alarm fire occurred early in the evening; she was at school. When she arrived on the scene and spoke to firefighters about her cat she was reassured that Rosie had been rescued and was safe with a neighbor. Unfortunately, Rosie escaped before she got to the neighbor’s house and went missing.
The worried petmom told the Globe, “She’s probably really scared.” Modupe feared Rosie was not equipped to mix well with the ferals who populate Dorchester, and said, “She’s very much a people ‘person’ and I’m not sure if she would have the instinct to survive.”
Modupe searched and put up posters in the neighborhood, looking repeatedly at the spot where Rosie was last seen. After searching the area for several days, Modupe had to go to stay with a friend who offered to put her up in Plymouth. She returned to the neighborhood with friends on Wednesday, and Rosie was found that day. William Boulware saw a cat with Rosie’s coloring sitting under a porch on Wilkinson Park, near where she was last seen. He called “Rosie” and the cat came to him, meowing. Rosie had been found. William called the number on the poster and Modupe rushed over to be runited with her missing cat.
Rosie was treated at VCA South Shore Animal Hospital in South Weymouth. Veterinarian Dr. Lily Johnson told the Globe that Rosie was hald her usual weight and was severely dehydrated when she was found. The vet said, “She was purring up a storm, although she has been through so much. She was very lucky.”
Rosie spent a night in the hospital getting IV fluids. She was back home with Modupe on Thursday.
A video report features Modupe Oshikoy speaking about the search for Rosie and the fire.
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