Fairy Tail Endings
When a once lonely and forgotten pet finds a permanent, loving home, that’s when FOCAS’ job, and a household, are finally complete.
FOCAS volunteers, staff, community partners and donors have been working together for more than 20 years to give shelter animals a chance to survive and thrive. Thousands of animals have been saved and placed in wonderful forever homes that may, otherwise, may have never gotten a second chance to be the perfect pet for a loving home.
Here are some success stories of animals that have been rehabilitated and are now healthy, happy and have a place to call home. FOCAS wishes these newly formed families a long and loving life together!
Clark and Kent
FOCAS is proud of all the animals it saves each year, but we are especially pleased when we are able to give seniors a second chance at a loving home. Life partners Clark and Kent are a wonderful example. These two, very bonded 12-year-old felines came to the shelter after their owner sadly passed away.
Their three-month stay in FOCAS' cat adoption program was a physically tough one as they battled upper respiratory infections, ringworm and diarrhea. They purred throughout their ordeal and greeted any one looked their way. Happily, they were adopted into a wonderful home with a family who adores them.
Their adopter recently wrote to FOCAS to let us know how they are doing:
We had watched Clark and Kent for a couple of months at the store.
One day, we just decided that they deserved to spend their later years in the quiet comfort of a loving home. They have been in the house now for almost a month. There were some brief adjustments (nothing more than some hissing) for both sets of cats. The dogs were initially a bit too curious for Clark and Kent. I am happy to report that everyone is settled in, there have been no recurrent health problems, the diarrhea issue resolved about 24 hours after their arrival.
They are very devoted to each other, sleeping in an old chair in the study together. They go into the spare bedroom around 4 a.m. daily and TALK TO EACH OTHER. In all of my years with cats, I have never seen anything like this. At first, I thought they were about to get into it. I looked in the room and they were as calm as could be, just meowing, talking.
I have enclosed a photo of them, for the staff to see. They are loved and they love their home.
Many thanks to the fine staff of FOCAS, who provide such noble services to San Diego and the pet community.
Grady
Grady was brought to the shelter by a Good Samaritan who found him wandering the streets all by himself. Severely malnourished and with over 200 foxtails lodged in his mouth and nose, this poor Boxer looked as though he was not going to make it. Worse yet, it soon became apparent that Grady also suffered from an untreated gunshot wound in his hip, which was rendering his leg almost useless.
The shelter staff was amazed at Grady’s exceptional demeanor given all of the pain he was in. They were even able to pull out all of the foxtails without Grady making a fuss. Incredibly, Grady wiggled his little tail during medical treatment and tried to throw in a few kisses to anyone who came near.
The FOCAS adoption counselor assigned to the shelter was aware of Grady’s plight and, soon, a rescue plan was in the works. Thanks to the generosity of the Lauren Foundation, FOCAS was able to provide Grady with the medical attention that he needed including surgery to repair his wounded hip in an effort to save his leg. Grady was then placed in the capable and caring hands of a foster mother at Boxer Rescue where he was able to recuperate from his injuries while waiting patiently to for his new forever home.
Because of the caring, collaborative efforts of these people and organizations, Grady’s life was saved and he has been adopted by a family who truly appreciates him for the love bug that he is. His new family (photo above) reports that his physical therapy sessions have been going well, that he now almost has full use of his leg, and that he has gained 10 much-needed pounds.