Dear Critter Corner: Do you have any fun shelter animal stories to share from this past year? Are there any stories that stand out as particularly memorable?
Working at a shelter requires a sense of humor, and there have been plenty of quirky animals that have passed through our care and into their forever homes over this past year. One that immediately sticks out to me is a cat named Oscar. Oscar was a spitfire of a cat and a premier hunter, who loved to play and pounce on anything that moved in his domain. He had a fun habit of jumping on my head and sitting there, calm as can be, as I cleaned his room. When he was in a good mood he would also nibble at my ear. Oscar has already been adopted.
Another stand-out this past year was a black lab named Nate. Every day Nate would go to the yard and pick a different toy from the bucket and for the rest of that day he would be possessed with that toy. After he chose a toy, he disregarded everything else in the universe. He was so driven he was the perfect candidate for Search & Rescue. My colleagues and I set up tests and videos, obstacle courses and off-site excursions, to demonstrate his drive. People may have seen us on the Bay Trail diving through the underbrush with Nate retrieving his prized toy. Nate was accepted into Search & Rescue and flown down on a private plane to their facility where he is now receiving advanced training.
The most unique case that came to us this year was Nova the cat. Nova came in malnourished, thin as a rail, cold to the touch, and by all accounts deceased – except she wasn’t. After some time on the table with vet staff providing warmth, and probably some magic spells, Nova came back to life. She went on to be fostered by a staff member and lived with a large dog and another cat during her recovery. She gained weight and became a perfectly normal and affectionate cat. Nova has also been adopted and is adjusting to her new forever home.