FIV + on death row in RI

[Freedom]

Beautiful tiger cat - WILL DIE IF HOME NOT FOUND TODAY :(

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Reply to: [email protected]
Date: 2007-03-29, 1:17PM EDT


My name is Talbert and I am a very handsome, loving and sweet-natured kitty! I have gorgeous tiger markings and distinctive eyes.

HERE IS MY PICTURE:

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q57/sfsamm/Talbert%20Mar%2028/Talbert.jpg

I am in the city animal shelter in Warwick, RI. I was turned in by my owners and I don't understand why. It's so lonely and confusing here.

I have just been diagnosed with FIV. I look and act like any other cat and im in very good shape overall. I can still live many, many more years with a good diet and a good life as an indoor cat. The shelter is not equipped to take on cats with medical issues so I WILL BE PUT TO SLEEP IF I DO NOT FIND A HOME BY DAY'S END ON THURSDAY, MARCH 29.

I would be just fine either as the only cat in the home, or with other gentle cats - even if they're FIV negative! Just like with people who have HIV, cats with FIV CANNOT pass on the virus through any kind of casual contact with other kitties - not through playing, sleeping together, sharing food and water bowls or the litterbox - not even through normal roughhousing. The ONLY way I could pass on the virus would be through a deep, serious bite wound...and since I am neutered and easygoing, as long as I go to a home with non-aggressive cats, I would make a fine playmate for FIV-negative friends.

FIV cannot be passed on to humans, dogs, or any other species. To learn more about this condition you can read the article here:

http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/petcare/cats_fiv.cfm

I desperately need to find a safe spot before Friday, March 30. If you can help me, PLEASE call the shelter right away at 401-468-4377 and ask for Anne, or call Debbie, the adoption coordinator, at 401-944-6178. Bless you for caring.

-Talbert




Location: Warwick
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

[Medusa]

This is awful. Any luck?

[Freedom]

Not that I am aware of. Poor little boy Talbert!

[Catty1]

I just emailed the address for an update - was wondering if Jenn had seen this yet! I pm'd Lizzie, who is the other side of the country... :(

[Catty1]

It's 7pm MT - I got an email from the person who posted about Talbert on Craigslist, and got the phone # of Debbie, the shelter coordinator.

She'll likely be surprised to get a call from Canada!

Anyway, I left her my phone # and email addy, and am hoping for the best!

[jennielynn1970]

I saw this, and my heart broke for him. He looks like such a good boy. I'm just going to be at my limit with kitties this weekend, plus waiting to see if Ally will be here or what will be going on with her. I have two coming in tomorrow, plus another one who may be a possible FIV kitty that is a littermate of Frankie (the woman who found him has been feeding this one and trying to trap him/her.). I can only take in so many with limited funding (I live on my own, pay the mortgage and all the rest on just my paycheck, and I'm a public school teacher, so I'm not rich, lol). Wish I could take them all, but until I have a mansion and am independently wealthy, I have to have limits.

[jennielynn1970]

I checked with the website and he has until April 3rd, which isn't too far away. ugh.

They also said they need help for a cat with hyperthyroidism. I wonder if I could bargain with them and give them medication that is left over from another kitty who passed and has almost all of his prescription, plus refills, left?! :rolleyes: "I give you meds, you give him more time... or a foster home"

[Lizzie]

Like Jenn, I dream of the day when I have a huge mansion with funds to match, but I'm at my limit also both financially and physically. He looks like the kind of cat that just likes to lean into you and get hugs. I don't understand the shelter saying that he's perfectly healthy and FIV is no big deal, not contagious, etc. and also saying they don't have room for cats with health issues. Poor sweetheart. It's his previous guardians who should be getting the needle next week, not him.

[Catty1]

I did tell Debbie to get hold of me, as I wanted to talk to someone about Talbert.

That was YOU, Jenn, but if it buys him some more time, all the better!

PT Prayers, everybody!

[phesina]

Prayers that Talbert finds a safe place to be.. a good foster home or even better a furrever home. He sounds like a wonderful cat.

Pat

[Catty1]

No wonder it took me ages to find the site. It's TalVert, not a "B".

Poor baby is still there....

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7803174

I sent a msg to the email there, and am hoping for the best.

[Lizzie]

Here is an offer.

I've decided to take Thumper and Pete back to the no-kill shelter (that has a big FIV+ area) from where I adopted them nearly a year ago. Thumper sprays constantly and has created a space which is uncomfortable for everyone. He's also had allergies since he got here that he showed no signs of at the shelter. He was actually happy at the shelter, not at all depressed, I remember seeing him zoom around the room. And he's a real favorite there who loves attention from anyone, and any cat. As you can imagine, my decision is a very hard one and has taken months of hard thinking. My heart feels heavy in my chest just thinking about it because it's highly unlikely that Thumper will ever be adopted again. Pete is downstairs with Thumper because he chases Raven mercilessly if he's upstairs. I need to be able to let the cats go up and down at will so they all get equal attention and I can't do that with Pete in the house. I feel sure that Pete will be adopted since this shelter has a very high FIV+ adoption rate, and he's a sweet lug of a cat.

I cannot afford to have Talvert shipped out to me, I am tapped out from caring for Dude - whose stomatitis came raging back, and I am in dire need of some expensive dental work which I've put off for years as vet bill followed vet bill. If some organization or people can put together the funds to ship him out to me, and he will need both a rabies shot with certificate (WA state regulation) and a certificate of health, then I will take him. I have a feeling that he will fit right in with my crew.

[jennielynn1970]

What if we can organize a transport? I'd drive him part of the way for you. I LOVE road trips, LOL.

[Lizzie]

What if we can organize a transport? I'd drive him part of the way for you. I LOVE road trips, LOL.

I live in Washington state, the other side of the country. Even though the weather is getting more pleasant, making a long drive more enjoyable, I think a cargo ticket will work better. :D Thanks for the offer, though.

[Catty1]

Is there an FIV rescue anywhere????

[Catty1]

I found Tabby's Place in NJ that has a special suite for FIV+ cats.

They are taking NO more public inquiries, so I sent the link to the email address below Talvert's posting.

I HOPE they contact these people - they may know of another place!

PT PRayers, please!

[Lizzie]

I believe this message was posted to the Yahoo groups, which would include all the special needs places, so that avenue has probably been tried. The FIV places, like the FeLV places, are usually full and with long waiting lists. Even though the shelter that I've adopted from has an unusually high rate of FIV adoptions, they have a waiting list of cats from all over the country.

I really hope the rescue group that must be posted about him can find a place for him in his area, that would be best for everyone. If the shelter keeps getting calls of interest, they may continue to extend his time which gives everyone more time to find him a place.

[Catty1]

Yes, I HOPE we can buy some time.

Never mind FIV+ - he is just a GORGEOUS boy!

[Lizzie]

Sandie (Freedom) and I have been in correspondence, trying to work something out. We are waiting, and hoping, to hear back from Jenn soon so that our plans can move forward another step. We are going to need to ask for PT help with funding. I asked a rescuer if she could help because I know she has a good contact who is a retired flight attendant and can sometimes get a rescue cat flown in the cabin, but haven't heard back yet. Anyway, we are trying.

[Catty1]

I wasn't sure Jenn had room? But I'll keep watching this post.

Talvert is such a DOLL!

Have you been in touch with the shelter too? I imagine they have had a few inquiries - I hope so!

[Lizzie]

I just talked to Debbie, the adoption coordinator, and she told me that because Talbert (and it is Talbert, not Talvert) is such a lovely cat he will be able to stay at the shelter at least through this week and perhaps next week. Also, her sister lives in Seattle so she is going to talk to her mother tonight to see when her mom is next flying here for a visit. She also said that the rescue may well be able to cover the cost of health certificate and vaccinations. :D

She also told me that Talbert had simply been left in the city shelter's parking lot, not even handed over. :mad:

[Freedom]

Yay Lizzie! I have sent emails and left phone messages, but have not spoken to her yet. The shelter is open MWF noon to 4 or some such. I just spoke to a volunteer who took my info and will have Debbie call me back. So I can now tell her I am part of your "team."

[Catty1]

YAAY! I had a feeling it was his charm and loveliness that bought him all this time! :D

YAY TALBERT!

(There was a "V" typo on the posting, so I thought that was the correct one! DUH)

[Medusa]

That's great news!

[Lizzie]

I hope Debbie's mom can fly him with her because Debbie said she would not ship him cargo, which is what I was looking at since the rescuer with an AA contact hasn't emailed me back. I wonder if she would hold fast to no cargo if it came down to the wire? I know which airlines are best for pet cargo through visiting the Best Friends site - Continental is the very best with Northwestern second. I hope I'm not going to have a home visit since I just ripped out all my carpet and am still cleaning up after Thumper.

[jennielynn1970]

I had called and left a message on their machine, but I haven't heard back from them at all.

As for my place, I have no room at the inn right now. I have a sick kitty that I just took in from the last transport. Some other cat at the shelter he was in bit his tail, and he has an abscess/cyst. So, he had to come out of the adoption cages at PetSmart. He's here with me now, and has to have baytril till his tail is better. It''s really nasty looking. He's so sweet looking though, and very mild. He's a beautiful tuxie. The shelter named him Marty, which doesn't fit him at all!!! I have to change it, I just have to figure out to what.

I'll help in whatever way I can, but I can't house any more cats at this point. So sorry! :( If I can get some adopted, that would be another avenue to get other fosters in here, but they aren't moving. FIV+ kitties just don't fly off the shelves for adoption. It's a shame, because for the most part, the ones I've met are the sweetest things ever.

[Freedom]

Well, we are just waiting for Lizzie and the adoption coordinator (Debbie) to decide. I understand that there are several other rescue operations interested. That is from my one conversation with a person (I kept getting answering machines / voice mails at lots of the numbers I was calling).

If he were going to fly, I was going to transport him to Jenn for placing on a plane; but the adoption coordinator doesn't want him in cargo, so that plan is out now.

I will just keep watching and waiting to hear of developments.
Sandie

[Lizzie]

I haven't heard from Debbie although she said she would call last night. I didn't know that rescues in the area are interested in him, that would be great in some ways but he still wouldn't have a home. However, there are a lot of FIV+ cats in rescues here that I could take in, and plenty of special needs cats in the Yahoo groups, so I'll accept whatever they decide.

[Lizzie]

Still nothing. I left my phone number again in case she didn't take it down correctly yesterday, and my own email account. In my message I said it was fine if he was going to a rescue, just to update me.

[jennielynn1970]

For being an "URGENT" case for them, they sure aren't in a hurry to get something done about saving him or getting him adopted. I haven't received any phone calls or emails back about my inquiries. :confused: :mad:

[jennielynn1970]

I just got this reply from Maggie this AM through email:

I see your numbers are out of state. We only move cats in the New England area. If you are not in the New England area then I thank you for trying to help.



So, do this mean that since I'm out of the "New England" area, I guess I'm in the "Tri State" area, that I can't help and if no one wants him he'll be PTS?! What kind of shelter is this?! :mad:

[Lizzie]

These people are behind the times. If they use the internet to bring in potential adopters then they should be prepared for a wider-range of offered help. After all, we can all offer excellent references and would accept a home check by someone they know in our own state.

I still haven't heard anything. This is my last day at work until April 24 so they are going to find it much harder to get hold of me after today. I don't have an answering machine and just an "old fashioned" land line phone.

Ah well! If I take another cat from Purrfect Pals when I return Thumper and Pete (I'm having Thumper tested tomorrow to make sure it is behavior though I'm very sure it is) then they can take in another that is on death row in my own area. I checked the P.P. site yesterday and there are a few very shy FIV+ and older cats there that really need to get out, and they are my speciality.

[jennielynn1970]

I received this reply today from Maggie when I asked if he was still alive and the fact that someone was interested in him.

He is still at the shelter but the manager is very specific about adopting
out of state. Sorry!


I just emailed her again, and asked if it comes down to adopting out of state or euthanizing him, which will her manager pick?? I'd like to go up there and
give the "blankety blank" manager a piece of my mind!! :mad:

[Medusa]

What's their deal? Are they interested in saving a life or aren't they? God!

[jennielynn1970]

Who knows... I'm so annoyed with them! Oh heavens, I live out of state, but I'd rescue the cat, but they'd rather put him to sleep than have him get a home. Lovely.

[jennielynn1970]

Now she asked me what state I live in... she didn't even know!!! PA is close to RI.

[jennielynn1970]

I found Tabby's Place in NJ that has a special suite for FIV+ cats.

They are taking NO more public inquiries, so I sent the link to the email address below Talvert's posting.

I HOPE they contact these people - they may know of another place!

PT PRayers, please!


It's unfortunate, but I don't think they are TRYING to do anything.

[Lizzie]

I'm completely confused, frustrated and distressed. First they indicated that his need was extremely urgent, then they said he had at least another week, perhaps two at the shelter. When I called, Debbie was very enthusiastic about Talbert coming to Seattle, spending ages on the phone with me talking about her sister in Seattle, contacting her mom, etc., and then I leave repeated messages for her with no response. Well, good luck to them and to Talbert because it looks like I'm completely out of the loop.

Just as well, as it turns out, because when I took Thumper in for a urine check today, they found crystals. We (both the vet and myself) feel sure that is not the sole or primary cause of Thumper's extensive spraying but I do need to keep him at least until his urine is clear so he can stay on his special diet. Pete is his big friend, so I can't take in one without the other. I was so looking foward to being able to walk into the bathroom/laundryroom and bedrooms downstairs without having to step widely over sheets of plastic covered in pee.

[jennielynn1970]

Oh, BTW... the last I heard was from Maggie who said she "thinks Debbie has a foster home for Talvert." That was it a few days ago. Gee... they care so much, don't they?!

[Medusa]

Makes ya wonder why they're in this work. Candles burning for Talvert.