Garfield’s Happy Tail
March 9th, 2020
When the handsome and aptly-named orange cat, Garfield, arrived at the veterinary hospital with a low temperature, he was in such extreme pain that he put his head down on the table and refused to move. Right away, the veterinarians x-rayed him to determine the cause: Garfield had bladder stones in his urethra preventing him from urinating, and he had gone into renal failure.
Garfield was in a dire situation, fragile and potentially facing death. The veterinarian put a urinary catheter in and started him on IV fluids to save his kidneys, but it would take surgery to remove the massive stones and prevent another blockage.
His “mom” Theresa had recently separated from her husband and was raising their five children by herself, taking odd jobs where she could to make ends meet. She was completely overwhelmed by the news that Garfield needed surgery as soon as possible to survive.
The staff at the veterinary hospital understood how important Garfield was to his family – in the two years since Theresa adopted him from the local animal shelter, he had become a sibling to her five children and another child to Theresa. They wanted to keep this family whole.
Not only did the staff provide a grant from their own private fund and work with their lab to reduce the cost of Garfield’s treatment, but they also helped Theresa apply for financial assistance from multiple organizations. Because of your compassion for pets in crisis and their shared commitment to saving Garfield’s life, Theresa was awarded a RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant to help cover the cost of Garfield’s vital surgery.
On the day he came home from the hospital, Theresa and her children threw a party to celebrate Garfield’s health and happiness, complete with a sparkly party hat for the guest of honor. This family will continue to cherish one another, and Theresa wanted to express their gratitude for your support: “Thank you so much for all you have done. You’ve saved my baby and I’ll never be able to repay that kindness.”
