IN LOVING MEMORY
The PCHS animals on this page represent a few of the animals who have touched our hearts during their short stay with us. We hope everyone can learn from their stories.
"Anyone who has accustomed himself to regard the life of any living creature as worthless is in danger of arriving also at the idea of worthless human lives." - Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) Philosopher, Physician, Musician, & Nobel Laureate
SMOKEY
Smokey was one of the first cats taken in by PCHS at the new shelter. He had a sweet personality and would always
roll over on his side for a good scratch. When all of our cats were tested for feline diseases, Smokey tested
positive for FIV
- a nasty virus that weakens a cat's immune system and makes them susceptible to many other
infections. Since FIV is usually only spread through direct contact, Smokey stayed in his cage in the condo until
he developed a respiratory infection. Dr. Hanson and Dr. Call at Community Animal Hospital did all they could to
treat him, but he was humanely euthanized in July of 2005. He was very loved by many of the volunteers. We will
all miss him.
Please learn from Smokey and have your pets spayed or neutered and have your cats
tested for FIV and
FeLV.
GINGER
Ginger was a sweet, sweet cat to volunteers and other condo cats. Unfortunately, she was
declawed by her
original owner and her only remaining defense was her teeth. She bit her new owner unprovoked and once we
researched her history, found out she had bitten the prior owner as well (leaving a scar in both cases). Since
she was deemed aggressive, we were not able to adopt her into another home. Ginger was humanely euthanized in
August of 2005.
We hope Ginger can provide some education to the public about
declawing.
AMAIYA
Amaiya was chosen to move into the cat condo because of her beautiful coat and sweet disposition. She was quiet and gentle - not to mention very photogenic. Unfortunately, she soon fell ill after the move and testing pointed to a weak heart and respiratory failure. Amaiya was relieved of her suffering through humane euthanization in January of 2006.
KENYA, KEEGAN, & KEI-CHI
These sweet babies just weren't gaining weight. Suddenly, they stopped eating and became very ill. Kenya passed
away on the way to the vet and Keegan and Kei-Chi were humanely euthanized to end their suffering. All three kittens
were suspected to have feline
distemper, also known as Panleukopenia. Vaccines prevent this virus in older animals
who receive it, unfortunately, these three little ones were too young to be vaccinated. Many, many thanks go to April,
the foster mom who tried so hard to save these little angels.
Please talk to your vet about an appropriate vaccination schedule to protect your pets from diseases
like distemper
and parvo.
BEN
Ben came to the shelter in very rough shape. This big boy's fur was rubbed off as if he had been caught in the
fan belt of a car. However, his sweet nature and charm drew PCHS volunteers to care for him and later nurse him
through an upper respiratory infection. Although Ben survived the ordeal, when he was tested for
FIV
& FeLV, this
sweet tom tested positive for BOTH. One of the biggest (and sweetest) cats our shelter has ever seen was humanely
euthanized in June 2006.
Please learn from Ben: Keep your cats indoors, have them spayed/neutered, and have them
tested to prevent the spread of
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
(FIV) and
Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV).
COCO
Coco was a beautiful dog. Her lovely eyes and delicate features made her look more like a Weimeraner than a Lab.
During their stay at the shelter, Coco and her puppy contracted
Parvo and passed away in the night
after a tough battle. Coco was a sweet and gentle dog who would have made a great pet.
Parvo doesn't usually
affect adult dogs because responsible owners vaccinate against the illness. Please
remember Coco and make sure your dogs are up to date on all their vaccines.
BUTTERBALL
Just like Smokey, Butterball was one of the first cats to move into the Cat Condo before we began FIV/FeLV
testing. When testing time came, this big buff-colored tom came up a strong positive for
FeLV. Because of his
fantastic health and friendly personality, Butterball was moved into the PCHS office. Time passed, and this big
boy showed no signs of illness and finally went home with the daughter of one of our volunteers. He was cuddled
by his new owner and his friends and loved his new home. Unfortunately, in the Summer of 2006, Butterball passed
away due to lung cancer. Butterball will be missed by his owner and all the PCHS Volunteers who knew him.
Just keeping your cats indoors can protect them from
Feline Immunodeficiency
Virus (FIV) and Feline
Leukemia Virus (FeLV). Don't believe the myth - cats can live a long, happy life inside!
FIRECRACKER
Firecracker was a beautiful little kitten brought to the shelter on the 4th of July with his siblings. After
living in the cat condo for a few months, he took on a pregnant appearance and rapidly lost weight. It turned
out his little body was filling with fluid from
Feline Infectious
Peritonitis (FIP), a fatal cat virus. The folks
on the Assisi Van did the best they could for the little guy, but Firecracker was relieved of his suffering by
humane euthanization in October of 2006.
FIP is a poorly
understood virus that cats can develop from another cat virus, Feline Coronavirus. There is
currently no effective vaccine or way to predict if a cat is infected.
CAINE
Caine was a white pit bull who found his way to the shelter in September of 2005 when his owner was put in jail. He
had lived outside and we received him with 50 pounds of chain wrapped around his neck. Eventhough he looked like a
vicious junkyard dog, Caine was actually a sweet, intelligent guy who loved to lounge in the offices and education
room at shelter. He was with us for months, and became a fixture at the shelter.
Time passed, and Caine was eventually returned to his owner and chained out again. A few months later he was caught
running at large in Pulaski County and brought back to his home at the shelter. Now, we could search for the right
home for Caine. Things went well for awhile. He had a nice home where he could sleep on the couch, but then
something snapped in him. Probably due to years of abuse at the end of a chain, Caine became aggressive and his
new owners had to return him. Everyone was fearful that he might hurt someone, so on March 26, 2007, he was
humanely euthanized in the place he had called home for a year and a half, surrounded by the people who loved
him most.
Keeping a dog chained
or tied in your yard may seem like a good way
to keep pet hair off your couch, but in
reality, you are depriving your dog of its "pack". Dogs are social animals, and they need to be kept with their
human owners so they can feel safe and learn how to interact properly. Dogs can become aggressive and neurotic
when left at the end of a chain or rope. Please consider bringing your dog into your home and making him a part
of your family.
PRESTON
Preston was a handsome older tuxedo guy who was very sweet and loving. Unfortunately, he suffered from
very
bad urinary tract infections the entire time we knew him. After a long battle, we decided this dignified gentleman
deserved a break from the pain. Preston was humanely euthanized in July 2007.
Be sure to keep your litter boxes clean (so your cats won't try to hold it and make themselves sick!) and
keep an eye out for symptoms. Missing the litterbox, straining, or blood in the urine can be signs of
urinary crystals or bladder
stones, Feline Lower
Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD), and even kidney failure. Left untreated, any of
these ailments could lead to a painful death. If you see any straining, blood, urinating outside the box, or any
other odd litterbox behavior, you should take him or her to the vet just to be sure.