He Helped Me Heal: Jackson the Cat’s Happy Tail
July 23rd, 2024
By Savannah Verdon, Development Manager
If you’ve ever loved a pet (and let’s face it…if you’re reading this, you have), Sara’s heartfelt words about her kitty Jackson Avery will resonate deeply.
“He has saved me and means the world to me and my girls. Just the mere thought of him not being here breaks our hearts. I don’t know what we would do without him. When I had surgery, he stayed right next to me for three days straight until I was able to get up from bed myself. I believe he helped me heal. I love him with everything that I am.”
Sara and her daughters adopted Jackson Avery in the fall of 2020, welcoming a warm, fuzzy friend and warm, fuzzy feelings into their home at a difficult time. His little brother Theodore James joined the family a little over a year later. Now these boys love nothing more than playing and snoozing together. Theo in particular – the baby of the family – loves teasing his big brother.
On an otherwise uneventful Wednesday, Sara noticed that Jackson Avery was straining to use his litter box. By Thursday, each unsuccessful attempt left him crying in pain. It was then that she rushed him to the emergency veterinarian, only to be devastated by the news that he would need a several thousand dollar surgery to resolve his bladder blockage and prevent recurring issues.
She wasn’t working at the time, and her eldest daughter only worked part-time. It would be impossible to start his surgery that same day. The veterinarian advised that, though Jackson couldn’t wait long for his surgery, they could drain his bladder with a catheter and give him pain medication to buy a little more time. Sara opted for that, but by early Sunday morning, Jackson Avery was painfully yowling at his litter box once again. Back to the emergency veterinarian they went for another draining and more medication. This time, Sara knew her boy couldn’t wait any longer.
Sara had made more than 20 calls by the time she found an out-of-state veterinarian that could do Jackson Avery’s surgery at a much more affordable price. Even better, they could work out a payment plan. Better still, they informed her of the RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant program. She applied immediately, with Jackson’s surgery scheduled for the following day.
With an On-Call Angel ready to fund her Urgent Care grant, and a second grant from another animal welfare organization in hand, Sara had enough to put a deposit down and begin the surgery. She would have affordable monthly payments, and more importantly, she would have her sweet boy back home and free from pain.
Her gratitude was immense when she shared an update on Jackson Avery a few weeks later. He had had a difficult recovery from his surgery and stayed in the hospital for more than a week just to be safe. Now he was home and healing beautifully, counting down the days until he could play with Theo like crazy kittens once again.
“I want to thank you again for helping us in our time of need. It was a very scary time where all we knew was that our Jackson Avery needed emergency surgery or he would lose his life. You were there for us with compassion and a listening ear and even a shoulder to cry on. It shattered me to even think that we could lose him; the mere thought struck fear through my heart. Thankfully, Jackson Avery has finally returned home after a rough recovery in the hospital. He is on medication and will be in the cone for at least another couple of weeks to protect his incision, but he is doing well now. He’s so close to being back to his normal self, all lovey-dovey, happy, and playful! Thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts.”
Sara said it best, but we’ll say it again: Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We are so thankful for the Happy Tails like Jackson Avery’s we’re able to share because of kind people like you. You understand that pets are family, and you are there for families in their moment of need. Thank you for being an important part of RedRover’s compassionate community!
