Beautifully put Rebecca... Wendy
--- veggiepugs <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Dear Kerry- > I'm a bit of a lurker on this board but read your > email about the shelter for FeLV+ cats and wanted to > say a little something. I adopted a cat I found > outside my office in November of 2005. He tested > positive for FeLV and that's how I came to find this > wonderful list of people and cats here. A lot of > people say they could never get a pet, let alone a > pet with a health condition because it is too hard > to lose them when they go. That, is true, however, > the time spent with them is beyond explanation. When > I took "Wowie" into my home knowing he had FeLV. I > thought I might have to distance myself from the > situation but I knew that no one would give him a > better home than I could. Even though he had this > condition, nothing about him made him any less > wonderful than he is. Sick or not sick, living > creatures who are here on this earth should be given > love and the best care while they are here, just as > we would do for any human being we loved. FeLV, > while unpredictable, is not a death sentence. While > some do not have much time, many others do live > quite long and happy lives and it is us who can help > to make their stay here, no matter how long it is, > the best it can be. What a wonderful gift to be able > to give, and what a wonderful gift the reward of a > loving companion is whose life is better, because of > you. Wowie is thriving and while I do not know what > the future brings, I know that no matter who we are, > life is unpredictable for ALL of us and no matter > how long life may be, it is never long enough. Enjoy > every day, make it count and make it count for those > whose lives you touch as well. Wowie is doing SO > well right now and I wouldn't trade anything in the > world for the love and joy this cat has brought into > my life I feel lucky every single day...just ask > anyone I keep blabbing to about him! No matter how > long his life may be, I will always be grateful for > the time he has been a part of my life and know that > because I gave him a chance, he has lived a more > comfortable, warmer, loved existence in my home. And > boy does he show that he appreciates it! > Thanks for letting me share! > Rebecca > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Kerry MacKenzie<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: > felvtalk@felineleukemia.org<mailto:felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> > > Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 12:22 AM > > Subject: I need your help > > > > > > Dear all > > I'll try to make this as brief/concise as > possible. > > Because of what happened with Pookie, Paula > Fasseas, the founder/owner of the shelter, PAWS, > called me. I would never normally have had a chance > to speak to her---she's a society high-flier who > owns banks (yup, you read that right) and started up > PAWS just a few years ago when her small daughter > suggested doing something for animals. > > Pookie wasn't positive, but at some point in > our conversation she mentioned leukemia in passing. > > Now, PAWS is building a 7-million dollar state > of the art shelter in Chicago, with adoption suites > (and much more space I've heard given to dogs than > cats). I had also heard from 2 reliable sources that > this shelter was NOT going to have space for FeLV > cats which saddened and sickened me. All this money > and effort, and no support for FeLV kitties. > > I kept thinking I should write to Paula > Fasseas. > > So when *leukemia* came up in the phone call, > this was a never-to-be-repeated chance. > > I asked her if there was to be an annex for > FeLV cats in the new facility letting her know that > I had had 6 FeLV cats at one point and they have a > special place in my heart. I was expecting her to > say no. But, she said that there was an 8x16 room > they could probably use for that... ! > > And we then got talking a bit about FeLV and I > explained why they *should* be included in the new > shelter. > > She got quite animated and enthused about the > idea, and I said I'd send her this wonderful website > address (which i already did). > > However, yesterday it occurred to me that i > should send a PS with some brief case histories from > you wonderful people, to illustrate in a very real > way why FeLV cats should be given a chance the same > as other cats. > > As an example, my statement will prob say > something like: > > "I took in a colony of 6 cats, 5 of whom tested > positive. Four of them, Caramel, Levi, Flavia and > Snowball, kittens when I got them, enjoyed quality > lives for between 1-2 years, playing and > roughhousing and grooming and cuddling and enjoying > their food and treats like all kittens do.They loved > to play ping pong in the middle of the night--I was > frequently wakened by the thud-thud against the > door! Mickey is still going strong, and cuddles and > plays with Momcat, who incidentally is and retested > negative. Kerry M" > > If any of you--particularly those of you whose > cats have lived longer, could email me a brief > description with their names, ages, and also whether > you mix too--I'll compile them and send them on. > Please note I may edit for space so she can read > them quickly. > > I got the impression Paula Fasseas didn't know > a whole lot about FeLV but that she was very very > open to knowing more, and in educating the > public--she talked enthusiastically about doing that > at the shelter. I said that if I could help in any > way I would. > > This is SUCH a great opportunity, and I'd like > to make the most of it, and I feel it would really > really help if I can send her brief real-life > examples, from my FeLV-list friends, of FeLV kitties > living quality lives! > > Thanks in advance!!!!! Kerry M. > > -------------- next part -------------- > > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > > URL: > /pipermail/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org/attachments/20060410/344ab60b/attachment.htm > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
