I want to tell you about a sweet black cat named Lydia. If you read our articles or follow our Facebook page, then this name may sound familiar to you. Lydia came in with her brother Luke as tiny kittens this past summer and both were in deplorable shape. They were emaciated with severe upper respiratory and eye infections. They were in critical care.
With much vet care and a lot of love we got them healthy even though Luke lost an eye and is blind in the other eye. We made the decision we would not separate the two for Luke’s sake. We felt he needed his sister to show him the ropes. Lydia blossomed into the sleek beautiful black cat that we all fell in love with. She watched out for her brother and they were like two peas in a pod. At six months of age they had their whole lives ahead of them. It never occurred to us that we may lose one. They seemed and looked so healthy.
Without warning one day this week, we found Lydia curled up on her favorite bed and she was gone. She had passed away sometime during the night. We were and still are devastated. We have no idea what happened. All we know is that Lydia is not at the door to greet us every morning or to snuggle with us. We miss her purrs , we miss everything about her.
Lydia was one of two black felines that came to the Ark Animal Sanctuary six months ago in rough shape.
(Courtesy of Lorraine Monfils)
We cry for a sweet little black cat who we only knew for a few short months. We needed more time with her to get to know her and see her flourish and become an adult cat. This was not supposed to happen, but it did. So now we carry on, our work is even more important because we know there are more out there like Luke and Lydia. Our mission is to save as many as we can.
Every day I see such sad stories on social media. Dogs sit in shelters on death row with little to no hope. Seeing the pictures is devastating. People surrendering animals to high kill shelters knowing full well if they don’t find another home they will be euthanized. The pet that was their loyal companion and family member for years has suddenly become an inconvenience.
People like the person that surrenders their pet because they just had a baby. Think about what you are doing. Find a solution. Don’t take the easy way out, because the easy way out could be a death sentence for you pet.
Then there is the person that surrenders because they don’t have time for their pet any longer. Stop and think about it. Any time you give them is better than them having their lives uprooted and destroyed or even worse terminated. They are better off with you than on a cold cement floor in a shelter too afraid to move.
Have we become so cold hearted and selfish that we can’t put the life of an animal before our own selfish wants and needs? When we turn and leave our animals at a shelter showing no emotion or no regard for what is about to happen to them, what does that really say about us? Do we have ice water running through our veins?
Thousands of animals are euthanized every year simply because we as human beings make bad choices and simply do not care. We have become cold hearted, uncaring individuals looking for the easy way out no matter what the cost. All too often innocent animals pay with their lives for our bad choices.
There are so many people that do care, who give 100 percent every day for animals that they have never met. They are the ones that believe that every animal is worth saving. They are the ones out there on their hands and knees looking under buildings, climbing through mud and deplorable conditions because they know there is an animal in need. They are out there in the middle of the night with food and water, hoping that they can reach the tiny little life before it expires.
They fundraise for animals they have never met to get the medical attention they so desperately need. They are the ones who never give up. They are the ones who are the true heroes. They are the ones that cry and hold these sweet babies as they take their last breath. Somewhere out there tonight someone is surrendering their pet to a high kill shelter and walking away without a care.
Tonight we at The Ark cry for a cat named Lydia whom we only knew for six months, who never really got a chance to live life. We loved her. She was family and we will never forget her. We can’t just walk away without a care her life meant something.
After reading this you can make the decision to be a part of the solution to help end all of this madness. It will not be easy nor will it be convenient, but it will be so worth it. You can become one of the heroes I am talking about — the ones that save lives instead of taking the convenient way out. I hope you choose to be a hero and save a life.
Thank you for your continued support and as always, thank you for reading our column.
The Ark Animal Sanctuary is located on 101 Old Woodstock Road. To contact Lorraine Monfils call 532-7387 or check out their Facebook page.
