“Like Finding A Part of Myself” – Willow’s Happy Tail

By Savannah Verdon, Development Manager –

Breanna never thought of herself as a cat person, but when the “Cat Distribution System” delivers, it’s never wrong.

“Willow was found locked in a crate that was left on the street last Thanksgiving. It was raining, and she was outside all alone, unchipped. As corny as it sounds, finding her was like finding a part of myself. I grew up in a dog household and had never had a cat before, so I was not interested in having one. She was only supposed to stay with me temporarily until the shelter had space, but she became a part of my life so quickly.”

They had been through so much together. Willow taught Breanna what real love looked like and how to slow down in life. She was a college athlete, and life was always super busy. She never used to be home. But once she had Willow, she adjusted her life to be there for her, often leaving events early to maximize their time together.

“She is so special to me, and I am so lucky to have her.”

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Breanna brought Willow to the veterinarian because her breath smelled terrible, and she was acting strange. Her teeth and gums were in bad shape, and she was diagnosed with gingivitis. There were seemingly no signs that her teeth were bothering her; she ate with gusto. Breanna had also been taking good care of Willow’s teeth, but the veterinarian reassured her that it was very common in her breed, especially when they’d been living on the streets. Willow needed dental surgery to clean her gums and extract the infected teeth.

Now that Breanna was studying for her Master’s in Social Work, she was busy working 20 hours a week on campus for minimum wage. She also worked an unpaid internship for her degree program, making it hard to find a second job that would work around her class schedule and intern hours. But recently, she suffered an accident and needed medical care for herself. She had already been trying to pay for that treatment, but Willow’s needs couldn’t be delayed.

The veterinarian sent Breanna and Willow home with a prescription diet and a referral to the RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant program. Breanna applied, and Willow took tentative bites of her new prescription food while they waited. The good news came the very same day: they had been approved for an Urgent Care grant with help from an On-Call Angel, and Willow would have dental surgery very soon.

Once the teeth were removed and the infection cleared up, it was clear there had been subtle signs before that she wasn’t feeling well. But the difference after her surgery was remarkable:

“Willow has recovered well! If anything, she seems happier and more active! She has been having the zooms more often and wants to play and go on her cat tower. She has even been more cuddly. Thank you again so much!”

Your support makes emergency veterinary care possible, directly impacting the overall well-being of pets and the people who love them – and inspiring more cases of the post-treatment zoomies. Thank you!