Lucy
In October 2023 we were contacted by a case worker on behalf of a person fleeing domestic violence and experiencing homelessness who needed assistance with boarding their 14-year-old cat. The client had sought assistance from a refuge but was unable to take their cat with them.
Lucy was quite anxious when she first came to us and was unable to be physically examined by our vets. She was given some time to settle in, and while her temperament in this overwhelming new environment meant that we couldn’t handle her in these early days, we did notice some watery discharge from her eyes. Unfortunately, likely due to the stress of moving into the shelter and being a more senior cat, she quickly became quite sick with cat flu.
Unfortunately, the strain of cat flu that Lucy experienced was a particularly nasty one and this, coupled with her age and other health concerns, meant that she required intensive care in our veterinary clinic for several weeks. She also spent some time at an Emergency Vet and received around-the-clock care over the weekend.
However, Lucy became the queen of the Vet Clinic and would often be found perched on her throne. She required syringe feeding multiple times per day while gradually regaining her appetite and strength. Throughout Lucy’s ordeal, her owner would visit her, providing love and comfort to each other in their times of crisis. With time, care and love, Lucy recovered from her cat flu.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the end of her ordeal, as it was noted that she was suffering from entropion – a painful condition where the eyelid rolls inwards, causing the eyelashes to rub against and irritate the eyeball. As her owner’s personal crisis was ongoing, Lucy went into foster care with one of our experienced and dedicated carers. She thrived in foster care, away from the overwhelming shelter environment. She became quite affectionate (on her own terms!) and would often be found lounging in the sunny window or sleeping in the bed she made for herself in the wardrobe.
After 108 days in care, Lucy’s owner had found safe accommodation and the two were reunited. Lucy (grudgingly) returned to the shelter for her entropion surgery a few weeks later, which we were able to provide free of charge as part of our Emergency Boarding program. She recovered well and was given a clean bill of health from our vets. Lucy and her owner are now living happily together.
Humphrey
In December 2023, we were contacted by a support worker requesting Emergency Boarding for a cat named Humphrey. Humphrey’s owner had recently undergone surgery and had discharged himself against medical advice due to concern for his beloved cat at home. Unfortunately, Humphrey’s owner injured himself further and required additional surgery.
Humphrey the cat came into the shelter and his owner was able to remain in hospital for his surgery and rehabilitation, knowing that Humphrey was safe and being cared for.
As Humphrey was quite a shy boy when he entered the shelter, we determined that foster care would be the best place for him, and so he went to stay in a home environment with one of our experienced carers. His foster carer sent updates and photos that were able to be passed on to his owner, and Humphrey blossomed outside of the shelter.
After 77 days in care, Humphrey’s owner had recovered and was discharged from hospital, and the pair were reunited.
Theo
When Theo’s owner escaped from domestic and family violence, she wanted to ensure her beloved dog was well taken care of while she found a safe place to live. Theo was not quite one year old when he entered our shelter and we immediately noticed signs of experiencing trauma in his short life. In some cases of domestic and family violence, it can be entire families, including pets who suffer.
Our Kennels team noted that Theo was a “terrified little fellow”. While the shelter isn’t an ideal place for a dog like Theo, he was housed in the quietest area of the shelter, to allow him time and space to decompress, and he was shown nothing but love and care by our staff and volunteers.
After 29 days, Theo’s owner was able to take him to their new, safe home, where they were able to heal together as a family. As part of our Pet and Family Assistance program, and thanks to our generous supporters, we were able to desex Theo at no cost to his owner a few weeks later.
Ginny
Ginny is a very important member of her family. When her owner found herself experiencing homelessness, her beloved cat’s welfare and safety was her top priority.
We were able to care for Ginny on three occasions throughout 2024, while her mum focused on finding a safe place for them to live together. It proved difficult for Ginny’s mum to secure housing, she even spent time living in a tent at a campground, and in her car. Throughout all of this, she would visit Ginny at the shelter whenever she could, bringing her treats, and spending valuable time together.
The special bond between these two was clear for all to see, and when her mum was finally able to tell us she was bringing Ginny home, after a total of 128 days in our care, we were so thrilled that we were able to keep their family together.
