On a chilly day in March, stray cat Bia was found injured, filthy, and alone at a gas station dumpster. Her finders brought her to us right before we were about to close for the day, and on a Monday to boot, when the Adoption Center is closed and staffing is minimal. But we don’t turn away an animal who needs us. 

Our medical staff leapt into action—even our Director of Operations and then-Interim Executive Director Jen Walters jumped to lend a helping hand. Bia was limping and clearly injured, but her fur was so severely matted and soaked with blood and discharge we couldn’t even see her wounds to know how bad they were. 

Even with sedation, Bia was in so much pain she lashed out as our staff tried to shave her matting. She required anesthesia so our staff could safely shave her and assess the damage without further stress or pain.

With mats removed, our staff could see the extent of her injury: two open wounds on each of her shoulders and one on her neck, infected and inflamed. Acting quickly, we cleaned the wounds and treated her for blood loss-related anemia. Luckily, her limp was not the result of a break and resolved as her other injuries cleared up.

After her rescue, food, water, and rest worked its magic. Bia’s cuts began to heal and her fur to grow back, but the most profound change was in her spirit. Freed from survival mode, her true personality, affectionate and playful, began to shine. This transformation was completed when a chance meeting at the Adoption Center led her to a home with our handyperson’s family, whose love and care ensured she would never have to struggle again.

Finally, Bia—now Emeoneke—bloomed into a fiercely loving cat in her new home. The animal who once huddled by a dumpster was gone, replaced by one who now lives a life full of purpose: purring with all her might, chasing butterflies, and curling up contentedly with the 16-year-old boy who knew she was the one the moment he saw her.

We often have to hold onto the hope of a better life for these animals without ever seeing it, remembering them only as they were: sad, scared, and desperate for kindness. This is the very reason we do what we do. It’s the “why” that fuels our mission, driving us to give every animal a chance to transform. And we are so grateful to have you beside us in this crucial work.