Tom Brooklyn

[K & L]

Did anyone read this? Incredible!!

http://worldanimalfoundation.homestead.com/TomAbout.html

Update
http://worldanimalfoundation.homestead.com/TomUpdates.html

[RedHedd]

Oh what a dear, sweet orangie! It looks like he's found a loving furrever new home and is oh-so-slowly coming out of his shell. The meowing is a very good sign.

[K & L]

I cannot believe what this poor cat has endured!:( Luckily he's in good hands now!

[DJFyrewolf36]

Poor Tom Brooklyn! That kitty is one heck of a fighter! I'm glad he is doing much better!

[K & L]

To think he was eunthanized (well tried to) and to think he was frozen alive! Breaks my heart.

[CatMama78]

Mixed emotions here. Anger and sadness for Tom's hard life. Happiness that he is such a fighter and survivor and that his life is looking upwards. He has finally found some peace and happiness (even if he's not quite sure about that yet ). Thank you for that wonderful story - even though it shows how awful some can be, it shows how great others can be.

[K & L]

Makes you cry both for sadness and happiness. The guy should be shot!

[catcrazylady]

My emotions are so mixed right now. I'm so angry and hurt that any animal should have to endure what that poor innocent kitty did. His only fault was that he was born. I would like to string up the idiot that did that to him and I'm really concerned that he wasn't fired! It makes me sick the way people feel about ferals. They are considered a nuisance and treated worse than the lowest insect by many.

On the other hand I'm amazed at just how much awareness this precious guy brought about. He made friends from all over the world and it sounds like he changed a city! Thank God that something good came from such horrible cruelty.

I will be praying for this sweet boy and I hope he soon learns to trust humans. All though I sure wouldn't blame him if he never did!!

[carla and mike]

Oh My
I wish I hadn't read it.I get way too sensitive about this.I'll be up crying all night now.
I can't handle this horror of people that live with us on this planet.
It scares me to think about it.Poor Poor Baby.
I wish I could spend some time with him.Give him Love Love Love.
Boy does he need it now.I know he's getting it now but geez.
There's just to many abused cats.It really makes me so distraught.:(

[K & L]

Originally posted by carla and mike
Oh My
I wish I hadn't read it.I get way too sensitive about this.I'll be up crying all night now.
I can't handle this horror of people that live with us on this planet.
It scares me to think about it.Poor Poor Baby.
I wish I could spend some time with him.Give him Love Love Love.
Boy does he need it now.I know he's getting it now but geez.
There's just to many abused cats.It really makes me so distraught.:(

Normally I don't post things like this, nor do I read many like this, I usually try and keep them on the lighter side! But this one was so amazing and did have a happy ending!

[carla and mike]

That's OK.
I'm oversensitive anyway.I get very upset with a LOT
of people.It's good for us to read these things to know
what's going on.

[catmandu]

That is a Happy ending,for atht Orangie,and Micheal,and Roscoe,couilndt be happier!

[garybarnby]

Hello Everyone,
Recently there was a post on Pet Talk from K & L regarding Tom Brooklyn--a feral cat that was euthanized but lived, then placed in a freezer to freeze to death. He survived despite being frozen alive. Our organization was contacted by hundreds of members to save Tom from another attempt at euthanasia. After deliberations with the city of Brooklyn, Tom was turned over to our care.

We received so many hits and emails to Tom's website, Tom.WorldAnimalFoundation.com, from the post on Pet Talk that I wanted to jump in and thank everyone for your concern. We were happy to help and hope that his story (that has now received international attention) will help save other ferals from what was almost Tom's fate.

For updates on Tom's progress and to learn more about effective alternatives to euthanizing feral cats, please visit:

Tom.WorldAnimalFoundation.com

If you missed the original info on Tom I'll post it below.

Thanks again,
Gary M. Barnby, President
World Animal Foundation
WorldAnimalFoundation.com


He captured the heart of the nation, and the world. A feral cat from the small city of Brooklyn, Ohio who survived on the streets for years, fought the poison administered to euthanize him, and even survived being frozen (alive) in a bag in a freezer.

Animal Warden Allegedly Left Live Cat For Dead In Freezer

In a desperate struggle to survive, the cat now known as Tom Brooklyn fought off the chemicals administered to euthanize him and survived being frozen alive.

On July 9th Mayor Ken Patton of Brooklyn, Ohio said his safety director, Mike Gallagher received a call from the city service department. An employee reported discovering something very strange inside the service garage freezer. A partially frozen live cat was found in the freezer. The cat was taken to the Parma, Ohio pet clinic and somehow managed to survive.

“We got some allegations regarding some potential wrongdoings,” Brooklyn Mayor Kenneth Patton stated to a local reporter. “Being an animal lover myself, I don’t like to see this happen.”

The employee who discovered the cat reported to police that he witnessed the animal warden putting the still live cat in the freezer.

Brooklyn councilwoman Rita Brown was outraged by the allegations of animal abuse.

“I was absolutely appalled that in our city of Brooklyn, we would have an animal warden that would put a cat in a freezer to euthanize it,” Brown said.

She organized a special council meeting to discuss the animal warden controversy. The meeting had a large turn out and was featured in newspapers and broadcast throughout the country. The "frozen cat" that lived quickly became the most talked about animal abuse case in the nation. Dubbed "Tom Brooklyn" (tomcat from Brooklyn,) the feral cat that fought to live also became the poster child of Trap-Neuter-Return. Animal activists from around the world argued that if the feral would have been trapped, neutered, returned to his outdoor colony and managed by volunteers, the incident would never have occurred.

Investigating the case, a police detective and Brooklyn’s mayor and safety director took a tour of the city kennel. They produced a lab report that showed the animal warden had apparently attempted to euthanize the feral cat before placing him in the freezer. The cat was tested for traces of euthanizing chemicals.

“Barbiturates and characteristics of pentobarbital were in the cats body, which means it was euthanized before it was in that freezer,” stated Brooklyn mayor Kenneth Patton.

Yet while the warden was certified to euthanize animals, the city was not. Records uncovered by investigative reporters also showed a long criminal record for the animal warden.

“We’re investigating the procedures that he administered to see if he used proper procedures in euthanization and control of the drugs and the things of that nature to determine if there was any wrongdoing on his part,” Det. Kenneth Fittro of Brooklyn Police told the media.

Employees at the service department were called in for questioning. One employee who refused to co-operate with investigators was suspended indefinitely.

The international animal rights organization, World Animal Foundation, received hundreds of emails from concerned members asking for help to save the cat from another attempt of euthansia. Voices across the nation, and as far away as Canada, Europe and the Middle East, urged the organization to help.

After deliberations with the city of Brooklyn, the feline was turned over to the World Animal Foundation to house and tame the cat. The local organization, C.A.T.S.S. (Community Action To Save Strays) provided assistance. Tom was placed in foster care in the home of the WAF's president, Gary M. Barnby who resides in Oberlin, Ohio.

As the world continues to watch, Mayor Ken Patton says a police investigation continues and new procedures are in the works at the city kennel. The World Animal Foundation hopes to work with the City of Brooklyn to establish a Trap-Neuter-Return policy rather than Trap-and-Kill. TNR is the compassionate choice and the only method proven to reduce feral cat populations.

[K & L]

Wonderful!!!!!