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Her Last Rescue. Jenna's Wish.

Sat, 2013-08-10 12:15 — Robin Olson

A few years ago, I read an urgent plea about a cat who'd just been hit by a car in Greenville, South Carolina. He was a young white and tabby cat who needed a rescue group to get him out of animal control, then to get him to a vet for the care he needed. It was one of my first big rescues, before I even started my non-profit. I didn't have much experience in what to do or how to get the job done, but thanks to two people on the scene, Jenna, a long-time dog rescuer and Dr. Carol Anderson, who runs a clinic in Greenville, we worked together we were able to do great things for this cat we named Will.

Will R Olson copy.jpg
©2009 Robin A.F. Olson. Will after rescue.

Will changed my life and inspired me to take on rescues from wherever they needed help, not just from my own community. If you want to read the touching story of what became of Will and how he also changed the lives of others, read this post. It's one of my favorites: The Best Thing.

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Jenna contacted me a few days ago, with a heartbreaking story about some very fragile kittens whose lives were hanging in the balance. Not all of them survived, but for the ones who have, she is in dire need a forever home for them or for a rescue group to take them on and find them homes. With her permission, I'm sharing her poignant words in the hopes that it reignites the flames of inspiration—that one of you will read these words and know that these are your kittens, the ones you've been looking for for so long and that you can open your heart and home to them.

Jenna is a senior citizen and her husband is in his 80's in failing health. This is Jenna's final rescue, her swan song, as she calls it. Let's make it her best rescue by helping her find ONE home for TWO tiny kittens.

Sampson and Delilah

[ROBIN's NOTE: There are graphic descriptions of what happened to neonatal kittens below, please be prepared]

The call came in to Concerned Citizens For Animals of a mother who
had not been seen and babies with their eyes still closed. Nothing
more other than an approximate location was given. The emailer gave
no information of themselves and when we tried to contact them we got
a return mail response.

I rushed over to the church with the empty parking lot looking for a
trash dumpster where the emailer said they would be found. A teeny
orange kitty barely able to cry anymore probably because he had been
crying for a day now was on the sidewalk. He was covered in blood
and dried on sticky afterbirth. Mama had just given birth maybe a
day ago. Looking through the bushes I found another, a tortie very
stiff unable to move covered in blood, I thought she was dead, but
their was still life in her. Further inspection lead me to two more.
One was covered in maggots. Rigor mortis had set in and still another
that I thought was in that same condition a tortie was found. When I
picked her up she opened her mouth and tried to cry and she moved her
arms, but I knew she was too far gone. The maggots were coming out
of her mouth, they had already claimed their prize.

I rushed to the vet nearby. Euthanasia was what she told me to do.
They have less than a 1% survival rate and the little tortie female
would probably not make it through the night. They were covered in fleas and
maggots everyone in every orifice possible. They also had never had
the benefit of any time with mother in that the afterbirth on them
indicated they had just been born and for whatever may have happened,
mama was gone.

Samson copy.jpg
©2013 Jenna Gutierrez. Used with Permission. Syringe-feeding Sampson.

I wanted to try, so I took them home. The next morning even after Revolution was applied the ears on the little boy were pools of blood. I had a suspicion of what it was and as I began to squeeze, maggots came out. So many came out, I
thought he would never hear, and the vet confirmed it was a
distinct possibility. We all struggled those first weeks as any person has
been through who has nursed but struggled because the insects on them
and in their intestinal tract had started their death toll. Enemas,
and every sort of thing we did, worked to keep them alive.

Brother and sister copy.jpg
©2013 Jenna Gutierrez. Used with Permission. Raised together, it is Jenna's wish that they be adopted together, too.

We have reached five weeks now and my prayer through the feedings is
for one more miracle. You see I have come to love them in a way that
I cannot begin to tell you. But I cannot keep them. My 80 year old
husband has some mental issues that are demanding more and more of my
time as he progresses through this disease. I know I, too, will not
outlive these kittens.

Looking up copy.jpg
©2013 Jenna Gutierrez. Used with Permission.

I have been doing rescue now for ten years and this is my swan song.
I have seen some horrible things down south in my time and I have
seen some beautiful things with animals who have been given a second
chance at life. But this, this is so very difficult for me to do,
that is give these babies up. But I love them enough to do that, for
I cannot give them the life they deserve. This is a fitting swan
song for me because I have never , ever seen animals struggle to live
more than Sampson and Delilah. They are extremely loving and
affectionate, sweet and tender, and they are an attestation to the
never ending will to live and the miracles of God.

In lap copy.jpg
©2013 Jenna Gutierrez. Used with Permission.

Every night and day I am praying and praying for a very special home
for them. They will be fully vetted when they weigh enough and have
no special needs. Yes, Sampson can hear................

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The kittens were vetted yesterday. They are neg/neg for FIV and Feline Leukemia. They got their first vaccination and they both weigh about 1.5 lbs. At 6 weeks of age, they really should go to a rescue or AFTER they are 8 weeks and big enough to be spayed and neutered, to a VERY experienced home. Jenna needs our help and after all she's done, it's the least we can do for her. I urge you to please share this socially with all your friends. I KNOW there's someone out there who can help these kittens. They just need to read this story.

If you'd like to know more about Sampson and Delilah OR if you're with a non-profit rescue organization and would like to help these kittens, please contact:

Jenna Gutierrez

email: tomjeng@charter.net

phone (864) 801-3177.

Transport OUT OF STATE IS AVAILABLE.

UPDATE: August 16, 2013. The kittens are going to be adopted! Their forever home has found them! Hurray!

CICH Content Categories: 
Announcements
Cute Photo
Kitten
Needs a Home
Cat Rescue
South Carolina Rescue
Rainbow Bridge

Comments

Sat, 2013-08-10 14:42 — Catnonymouse (not verified)

As an atheist, I don't believe in supernatural angels that we never get to see. I believe in real angels such as this woman. People like her are what give us hope as a species.

Sat, 2013-08-10 14:48 — Beth Trestrail (not verified)

Dear Jenna: I will gladly take Samson and Delilah into my home. Forever. But I live in Michigan and have no way to get to them. If they still need a home and there is some way to get them to me, they will have a home here.


Please contact me at my email address if they are still in need of a home. I would love to talk to you about them, and will happily give you my contact info privately. God bless you for the work you have done.

Sat, 2013-08-10 14:52 — jmuhj (not verified)

Sharing with comments to fb (I have to wait to RT) with love and *PRAYERS* for Sampson and Delilah and Jenna and her husband.  <3

Sat, 2013-08-10 19:01 — ecocatwoman (not verified)

Shared - hope someone, somewhere can find someone to either give them a loving home or help find a home or homes for them. 

Sat, 2013-08-10 20:48 — Catnonymouse (not verified)

I have 6 cats already, and am on SSI. I will take them both into a loving home. I don't know if you want a home like mine for your babies, but I am offering. All my cats are up to date on their shots, and are all fixed. My babies are indoor only. I have a wonderful husband, and two kids, six and five. We love cats, if you can't already tell, and your kittens would be adored. I hope you can find a more suitable home, but if you cannot, I will help out!

Sun, 2013-08-11 06:20 — amandalisa (not verified)

I am in canada, but i do a lot of crossposting for Greenville shelter. Im going to share, email and call people who can possibly help you with these sweet babies. God bless your heart for sticking by them (and for all of the help you do with animnals!) <3 xo 

Sun, 2013-08-11 09:28 — Cats of Wildcat... (not verified)

I didn't realize that you know Jenna.  I have helped her place cats int he past few years.  Thanks for helping with this last rescue.  I will keep reposting and tweeting this!

Tue, 2013-08-13 13:28 — Vianney Carrillo (not verified)

OMG they're all so cute! It's very sweet that you're taking care of them, they are gorgeous

Thu, 2013-08-15 17:06 — jmuhj (not verified)

Just wanted to put out the information to Beth Trestrail, posting an adoption offer, that if she qualifies, there are many cat transporters to be found on facebook by inputting "cat transporters" into fb's searchbox. One such is the Underground Railroad Rescued Kitty Network (a/k/a The URRKN), which has a fb page where you can go to discuss possible transport.  

Continuing to share for these little treasures, with love and *PRAYERS* 

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