Things weren’t looking good for Nemo the cat. The 11-week-old cat was brought to the Baldwin Park Animal Shelter in Los Angeles, California with a badly broken front leg. The origin of the injury was unknown, and may have been caused by a poor landing from a large jump. The leg was cast but Nemo, still being very much a kitten, just wanted to play.
Nemo took a special liking to shelter employee Cristina Garcia. And it’s a good thing, too – Garcia was able to beg for more time for Nemo when he was on the list to be euthanized. Garcia promised to network for Nemo in efforts to find the cat a new home. She couldn’t take him home herself – she already has two dogs and three cats of her own at home.
Knowing that she had until December 11th, 2015 to find Nemo an adoptive family, Garcia set to work. She contacted John Hwang, a photographer who took photos of Nemo to help garner more attention for the cat. Because Nemo has a broken leg and will require special medical attention, finding the cat a new home can be more difficult than rehoming a healthy cat would be. Still, Garcia didn’t give up, and Nemo’s story was picked up by several media outlets, including The Dodo.
There’s a happy ending to this story for everyone involved – Nemo has been adopted into a forever home, just in time for the holidays. While animal shelters save as many animals as possible, Nemo may well owe his life to Garcia’s determination and love for this special cat.
