Tonight I am supporting a cause.
If you know me, then you know I am a Disney junkie.
I identify with Elsa and the whole frozen heart thing. I am the older sister, have the name L'sa (sans "i" you'll note), love snowflakes, have been known to sing "Let It Go" at the top of my lungs...in public, etc.
What you might not know it that my inner soul is more like Snow White. I have always felt Snow was the Disney animal lover. Snow finds the good in all. I'd like to think I do the same. Before Elsa, I felt completely aligned with Snow White. I think I must be a blend of the two of them. Tonight, my Snow White side is going to appeal to all my friends and readers. Please help if you can. I just started a GoFundMe account for a little kitten that I am calling Berlioz. Berlioz, after the little black kitten in The Aristocats. Did I mention I'm a Disney junkie??? :) My daughter, who is doing an internship at Disney World, was actually the one who came up with the name. It's absolutely perfect! Donate HERE: Berlioz.
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| Berlioz |
Yesterday, my sister found this babe as she arrived at her photography studio in South Bend, IN. She approached him, and he was very skittish. Still, he allows her to pick him up and cuddled as she wrapped him in a towel. He was scared and snuggled behind her computer as she worked. After working for a bit, she found him snoozing in the cords of her computer, he craved the heat the cords offered.
She sent me this photo to start my day...
...she merely said, "Look what I found." My response..."Crap."
My sister and I are truly two peas. We can't walk away from a lost or injured animal. During the day the next message I received said, "Your cat is purring."
Later it was, "Your niece is cuddling your new babe."
Finally she said, "I'm taking YOUR cat to the vet at 5."
My cat.
I all ready have a cat...and a dog. Lily, the cat, is 13 years old. We adopted her when she was a kitten. She's diabetic and has been since she was young. I've given her insulin shots twice a day since 2006. Twice a day! When I go on vacation or away, even for a day, I need to make sure someone can help me. Let me repeat that...insulin (which isn't cheap) shots twice a day, twelve hours apart, since 2006...nine years. Technically, Lily is my daughter's cat. Have I mentioned that my daughter has been in college and is currently in Florida for an internship at Disney??? I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say, 98% of the shots Lily has received in her lifetime have been administered by me.
Then there is Winston, my pooch.
His picture was in the paper back in November of 2009. There was an article about adopting out old dogs to older people. When I saw his picture, it was love at first sight. I told my ex (I was married back then) that I wanted to go meet this dog. My ex had told our daughter that IF we ever lived on the road we were currently living on, we could get a dog. Once we moved on to the road, my ex's memory became faulty. He claimed he had never said that. He had. He just didn't like responsibility. lol. Regardless, I went and saw W. He was so sweet. My ex went out of town that week and I told the shelter that although I loved W, I could not bring home a dog without everyone in the family 1) meeting him and 2) agreeing to care for him. I did, however, fill out adoption papers. They would hold him for me for 24 hours. 48 hours later I was able to bring my children in to meet W. My ex happened to be coming back in from out of town and he met us there. We were in one of the visiting rooms with W, when one of the shelter volunteers came and told me, his adoption has all ready been taken care of. I asked what that meant...because I suspected someone else had adopted him. I figured we weren't meant to be dog owners after all! The volunteer told me that someone had come in and paid for his adoption fees anonymously. He had a guardian angel! Older dogs, and cats are least likely to be adopted at shelters. Someone else had seen W's picture too in the newspaper. They came in, met him, then paid his adoption fee so whomever wanted him could just take him home. We had the money...but he was free...meant to be ours...meant to be mine. Due to that random act of kindness, for several years after that, I made holiday, monetary donations to our shelter, especially for older adoptees.
Winston came home with us that night. The next day we left for Thanksgiving Break. We traveled, by car to the east coast. Fourteen hours. Winston went with us! It was amazing!
Winston's story is unclear before I met him. He was skin and bones (15 pounds under weight) when I adopted him. The shelter's director felt he was dumped. He was not neutered, and wore a nondescript hunting collar on his neck. The director of the shelter felt he had probably outlived his hunting usefulness. She said it is common for hunters to feel their dogs are not as sharp once they reach six years old. Winston was six. Although my schooling and new job keep me really busy today, and I feel a tad sad that I have sole responsibility for the household menagerie...I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. W is my boy and I feel safe with him by my side. He is also about 13 years old.
Winston has his own blog...but I haven't helped him with it in some time. Opposable thumbs are to be valued. Winston Speaks. Maybe once Berlioz joins the clan W will have more to say.
My sister spent $90.00 on "my cat" last night. Her vet checked him out. He does not have feline leukemia. Positive! He appears to be a healthy babe. Positive! He does have a shattered back leg. It also looks as if he has road rash on his little face. Both possible from having been tossed from a car. :( Being a little, black cat, just before Halloween, has not helped him. My sister, and I agree, if she takes him to the shelter, he'll probably be put down. Neither of us are willing to allow that to happen.
So you see, my inner Snow White is coming out. I cannot let this little black kitten be lost. My sister's heart is as big as mine, and it's possible it might be bigger. She has three cats, a dog and three young children. She needs to NOT take on this kitten. But me...I am alone and am a nurturing soul too. Clearly my furry kids have needed someone who has love to offer. I can do that. And my heart is big enough to support another furry kid. Given all I've been through though over this past year, I just don't think I can pay a surgery bill of $1500.00. On the GoFundMe site my goal is to raise $2000.00 for Berlioz. I am anticipating meds, and incidentals will be needed after surgery.
I am confident this campaign will be successful. When we go over and above the desired goal, the additional moneys (after medical bills are paid) will go as a donation to the veterinary clinic who does the surgery. Next, I will spend the rest of the funds by making donations to the South Bend animal shelter, and then to my local shelter and possibly even to my vet. My sister's vet accepts donations for a fund that is used to offset costs for those who cannot afford large fees. As an example, Berlioz needed to have X-rays as well as tests run. His actual vet bill last night was over $300.00. My sister's vet dipped into this other account to make up the difference. It seems fitting that any extra money raised should also go towards something like this as well.
So, friends, please help. If you can donate even a little to help this cause, please consider it. If you cannot donate, but know someone who might be moved to help, then please share my blog or the GoFundMe link. Here it is again: Berlioz: GoFundMe.
Tonight ...I've been listening to music from The Aristocats via Spotify.
As always, thank you for sharing my life adventures.
xoxo
~Lisa Kroll
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