A woman visited the Larimer Humane Society in Fort Collins, CO on Friday and made the holidays brighter for the shelter’s population of nearly thirty cats and kittens by paying their adoption fees. Several cats have already found new homes, and one found a calling helping others while getting help and a home for himself.
The cats’ benefactor asked that her name be withheld. Director of Operations Jennifer Orme said, “We called her our little holiday angel.”
The donation amounted to several hundred dollars. Adoption fees at the shelter are $25 for adult cats, $75 for young adult cats, and $125 for kittens. Six cats were adopted on Saturday, and another five went to their new homes by mid afternoon on Sunday. Seventeen remain, though the shelter is hopeful that some may find homes on Monday, Christmas Eve, when the shelter is open between 11 and 5.
The Humane Society asked adopters to make a voluntary donation that would be passed on to help other animals in need of homes, and was pleased to report Sunday that people were paying it forward as they adopted their fee-waived cats.
The Humane Society wrote at Facebook on Friday, “Santa paid us an early visit!! A lovely person came in and paid the adoption fee for all of our adoptable cats and kittens at the shelter! We were FLOORED and so far our asking for a donation (to help other animals who haven’t found a home yet) is paying off. Thank you, dear Holiday Angel for helping our purr-fect whiskered friends find a new start this Holiday.”
The shelter was pleased to see some long term residents find homes. Cody is one such cat.
Cody, the big fellow pictured here dressed in his Santa hat, had been continually overlooked for adoption, but found a new role in life at Fort Collins Veterinary Emergency and Rehabilitation Hospital, when staffers adopted him on Saturday. The hospital says, “We love Cody! He loves being pet and getting brushed!”
Cody, who will be renamed Muggins, will provide services to both pet parents and patients of the hospital.
“Part of their job is sort of that Wal-Mart-greeter kind of guy,” said hospital receptionist Nancy Rumsey of cats who fill the role Cody/Muggins will take on. “They hang out up front and kind of sense when someone needs comforting. It’s amazing to watch. All our hospital cats have always done their part consoling, or just sitting there getting absentmindedly petted by someone while they’re waiting for their pet that’s receiving care.”
In addition of his role as greeter and comforter, Muggins will be a resident blood donor for cat patients. He will also get help to lose weight. Muggins/Cody weighs 20 pounds now, and weighed close to 25 pounds in the past. The cat is expected to become more active after he’s lost a few pounds.
For now, though he is getting lots of attention and affection and spending some time settling in to his new home.
first and foremost…. to those saying (Majorie and Veronica)it’s unfair to Cody.. or any cat who is a donorkitty ( or donor dogs) it’s not like they jab a needle in some random spot and drain the cat of blood, leaving only enough for basic survival….. they take the equivalent of what they take from human donors. not a pint mind you, but a kitty equivalent if not less. I have seen 25 CC (1.66 tbsp for non metric )of donor blood perk up a cat so badly infested with lice, mites, and ticks/fleas its near anemic death to near full recovery.
Second.. Most vet care clinic “social pets” get the best treatment, best medical care, more love than most pets get.. more social interaction which promotes better social, mental, emotional and physical health of said pet.
and lastly… to Renee….. do you think they just willy nilly adopt out a cat? ” oh… you walk in here have a cat!” no…. there are adoption forms, more paperwork… im not sure of this particular location, but some city shelters or county shelters require a pet license fee be paid above and beyond the adoption fee. This is not like halloween where a bunch of idiots think its cool to adopt a black cat for the holiday, then return it, or release it to fend for itself, or selfish parents adopting a baby chick / duckling for their children, only to realize that DUHR babies grow up into bigger birds, and just release them into the wild.
Shelters actually give a person/family a good looking over and generally ask how they plan to afford the care, feeding, and upkeep of said animal before they adopt them out.