Patch

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Patch, a lovely 10 year old boy that has been with us for two years now. Patch was such a loving soul and always had a purr and a snuggle for everyone at SAD. Although Patch has lost his battle with heart disease, he will remain forever in the hearts of everyone that knew and loved him. Goodbye old friend, your memory will leave footprints in all of our hearts.

SOCIETY FOR ANIMALS IN DISTRESS

BEANIE
by
JACKIE HALL

Just recently SAD lost its longest resident when Beanie died.  I know that many in the community knew Beanie - he had been with SAD almost since its inception and he was very old..  I thought, therefore, that I would like to write a little tribute to Beanie; where he came from, his long life at the shelter and more recently in his new foster home where he was loved and cared for by Lori Chaffey who most of you know as "Lori from PetValu".

As a kitten Beanie was left to die in a dumpster in the middle of winter when the temperature dropped to well below freezing.  Consequently, Beanie suffered from frost bite to his ears and tail which he subsequently lost.  Yes - people really do dump animals in dumpsters and leave them there to suffer and die.  Beanie was lucky (sort of) he was found and taken to SAD where he was nursed back to health.  All this was many years ago and Beanie and one of the staff at the shelter at that time, bonded and as time went by Beanie became a fixture at SAD - our ginger mascot.  Everyone loved Beanie - he was a real character with his stumpy tail and ears and a certain way he had of checking out everyone who came into the Cat Room as much as to say "I'm the boss here - who are you?".

So the years went by and Beanie continued to live at the Shelter.  He always seemed quite happy and content with his home but as he began to get really old and more frail we could all tell that perhaps it was time to find him a place where he could be quieter and have people with him all the time.  So the word was put out that Beanie needed a forever home to spend his last days in and Lori volunteered to be his foster mum for as long as it took.

Beanie's story takes a great turn here.  Remember he has never been in a house and he doesn't know that there are all sorts of strange things out there that need to be investigated.  Like mirrors - apparently it took him a long time to realise that that other strange furry being he kept meeting was in fact himself and he didn't have to fight it; television was another anomaly - all those strange, flickering images to watch; new places to hide, sleep, sit; a new friend (another shelter foster cat - Emmerson) to share cat things with; and above all this neat human who fed him, played with him, let him sleep in her bed and loved him.  What more could an old ginger cat with a stumpy tail and deformed ears want out of life.  Beanie thrived for many months in his new home but one day quite recently he suddenly withdrew and took to his bed and within a very short time and very peacefully Beanie died.

So Beanie - we miss you but we are so happy that we knew you for such a long time and that at the end of your life you were so happy. 

Cooper