My First Rescue

The Black Cat

I was fourteen years old when I took a bus to a church on the near West side of Cleveland each Saturday. I worked with the local children and shut ins. One Saturday after finishing with the children, I visited a local animal shelter.

Row after row of dogs and cats in cages called to me to bust them out and take them home. The site of these pets broke my heart.

On my way out, a family was on their way in with a black cat in their arms.

I gasped and blurted – as I usually did when caught by surprise – ‘Are you taking that cat in there?’ “Yes,” they relied, and continued, ” why, do you want it?” I said yes.

I boarded the public bus with that cat in my arms, which then sat in my lap the 10 mile ride home, and the bus driver never said a word.

Without any real plan, I arrived home and decided to hide her in my room. As everyone with a cat knows, she did not stay hidden long. Thankfully, my mother is an avid animal lover like me and she took care of her since I had no job and no way to make money to feed her.

Several years later, my mom commented to me, ‘She seems to be so grateful.’ I then shared that cat’s story with my mom. I think every animal rescued is grateful.

Please share YOUR stories of rescued pets. For me to be able to publish them, I need you to include a release of copyright infringement with the story you share. If a release of rights to the story does not accompany the story, I will not be permitted to use it and will not consider reading it. Thank you for your story.

 

 

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