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PetRescue.Com
As we look back on 2004, the thing that stands out the most in our minds is that this was the year of the hurricanes! Even though we live in central Florida, we have been fortunate in avoiding major storms for many years. Although we’ve been threatened in the past, they have either turned into the Gulf of Mexico or passed us by and headed for the Carolinas. Not this year! We were hit by not only Charley but also by Frances and Jeanne. Being hit by one storm is bad enough but being battered by three in the space of six weeks was very surreal! We were fortunate that none of the buildings sustained much damage but the property looks like a war zone with broken trees and flattened fence lines. It will take months to cut up and dispose of all the trees but as long as we can get in and out of the driveway, the rest will have to wait. We were without power and water for several weeks which was pretty miserable to endure because of the heat and humidity (the heat index was over 100 degrees). However, on the positive side, we survived and all the animals survived. It was all very unpleasant but not terminal! Actually, the animals did very well. We’re surprised that they all took the upheaval so much in stride! The dogs were somewhat freaked out by the rain and wind noise but as long as the cats were inside and cozy, they were perfectly happy! It was such a mess to get the dogs out of doors after the storms. They had to wade through 8 inches of water on the patio - and then got even wetter in the rain! The whole place smelled of wet puppies - and of course with no power, it was tough to dry them off or clean up their paw prints! For once we were thankful that cats use litter boxes so we didn't have to worry about letting them out! Now we’re trying to get back to normal activities like cleaning up, vet visits, feeding and catching up with the paperwork; the mundane now seems rather pleasurable! The work of rescue stays constant although as some of our long term residents get older, the expense of vet bills does not! As we look around we see quite a number of aging animals – at least three are over 18 years, quite a number are over 15 years and even more are in the 10 to 15 year bracket. I guess we must be doing something right to have so many senior citizens! As is the cycle of life, so is the cycle of rescue. We welcome new arrivals, each with their own special story, into our home and into our hearts. We watch with pleasure their eyes once filled with fear and anticipation turn bright and happy. We never tire of that! We also had to say farewell to others – some to new homes and sadly some to their final goodbye. No matter where the journey takes them, they all take a piece of our hearts with them. Once again, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the people, many of whom we’ve never met, who have helped us over the years, both in words and deeds. We are constantly touched by your generosity of spirit. Rescue isn’t a whim; it’s a way of life. It’s also a constant struggle to pay the bills and move forward. This year has been particularly difficult because of the hurricanes and the costs of dealing with an aging population. However, when the road gets hard and times are tough, your kindness and encouragement sustains us and keeps us on the right path. For that we are truly grateful. We wish you peace, love and happiness for this holiday season. Indy's "Tail" Has A Happy End!
The one constant in his life was hunger – he was always hungry! He lived on the flat roof over a garage. The Florida sun beat mercilessly down on him day after day. The only relief from the heat was the afternoon thunderstorms. He had no shelter from either the sun or the rain but at least the downpours brought him lifesaving water! His owner didn’t intend to starve him – he just kept forgetting that “the darn cat” was up there. So often we see that acts of cruelty are unintended and brought about by carelessness. However, that doesn’t make it less cruel! So why wouldn’t Indy just climb down? Because he couldn’t. Below, constantly circling, were three German shepherd dogs patiently waiting for the right opportunity to get him. Fortunately, the opportunity came for Indy instead. The weather that had caused him so much misery became his salvation. Lightening struck a tree in a neighbor’s yard and snapped the trunk. The branches fell against the roof giving Indy a stairway to freedom. The kindly neighbor, an elderly lady, took pity on him. Although she had plenty of mouths to feed, there was always room for one more at the inn and for a time his life became better! At last Indy thought he had found a forever home. However, it was not to be. There came a time when the elderly neighbor was no longer able to care for herself or her animals so her relatives took her to live with them. Her dogs were farmed out to members of the family and as is often the case, the cats were left to fend for themselves. This is where we entered the story. We knew of the old lady and once we heard what had happened, we immediately tried to determine the fate of the animals in her care. We managed to account for all but three cats. We went over to the empty house every day and set up traps, hoping to catch them. We succeeded in catching two. However, with Indy, we didn’t need a trap. We saw him anxiously watching us from a distance and gradually managed to coax him over. Patience is often an underestimated virtue by most but not by those in rescue! He approached us with obvious trepidation but once we gave him some food, he was our friend for life! Indy has been with us since 1995. He put his trust in us and we vowed to give him that forever home he had been looking for. It’s hard to put into words how thrilled he is just to belong. He loves us, he loves the other cats, he loves the dogs, he loves being warm, he loves food but most of all, he loves our chow/pit-bull mix, Ruby, who, much to her bemusement, he insists on constantly lavishing with kisses! Indy’s story is typical of the animals that we have here in our care at PetRescue.Com. Although each animal’s “tail” has its own beginnings, they all share the same happy ending! They get to spend the rest of their lives in a warm and loving environment where they will never know fear or hunger again. This is our gift to them, not just during the holiday season, but each and every day! If you would like to make a donation to PetRescue.Com, you can do so online at: http://www.petrescue.com/donations.htm Mailing Address: All proceeds raised through donations go to
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Holiday Newsletter 
