Thanks to our partnership with Blue Sky Soda, we were able to give grants to shelters including the Marin Humane Society in Novato, CA. MHS grants manager Helen Cameron told us about two very special pets helped by our grant:
“At MHS, we’re in the happy endings business. And sometimes the path to those smiling conclusions can have unusual, expensive twists and turns. Such was the case with Percy, a kitten who came to us in a group of 13 kittens from an overwhelmed man who was concerned about their health. Percy’s condition was the most complex.
“One of his legs had been trapped in his twisted umbilical cord during birth, and was stunted and useless. And one of his eyes was too badly damaged to be restored. In addition to neuter surgery, our skilled veterinarians removed both the leg and the eye, allowing Percy to become a happy, healthy, adoptable little fellow. He spent some time in one of our loving volunteer foster homes while he recovered. We estimate that his extensive treatment would have cost more than $1,000 at a private veterinary hospital.
“Percy was next evaluated by a team of experienced MHS behavior and training professionals whose final verdict was ‘all-around great kitten.’ Fate continued to smile on him when a pair of registered veterinary technicians who live in San Francisco saw his adoption listing on our website and drove quickly across the bridge to meet him and take him home.
“‘Percy is awesome!’ his new guardian says. ‘He is sweet, loving, playful, curious, confident, moderately talkative and super-interactive. We have been looking for a long time for the right cat or kitten who would get along with and be respectful of our 3.5-lb. Chihuahua, and who would be happy as an indoor-only cat, and Percy is the right cat. We couldn’t be happier with him and feel lucky to have found him. We are so grateful this little guy was saved.’ ”
Helen also tells us the story of Sport, another pet with severe medical needs who was helped by our grant:
“Found wandering with multiple injuries after being hit by a car, Sport, a young Corgi mix, was rescued by an MHS officer and brought to the shelter, where he received first aid and surgery.
“In spite of multiple, serious injuries, Sport’s plucky personality came through, and he quickly became a favorite among the staff. Since no one came to claim him, he went for foster care to our special program at San Quentin prison.
“Pen Pals pairs animals who need time to recover and/or be rehabilitated with specially selected low-security inmates who provide them with needed attention and encouragement. After about a month, Sport was healthy enough to return to our campus, where his new family found and adopted him.”
