Cat Rescue Heroes

Monday, November 19, 2007

Animal shelter workers saved a severly injured cat after other vets turn it away.

Melissa D'angelo is a big cat lover, so it broke her heart when she accidentally hit one with her car about a month ago.

She immediately stopped and saw the cat was badly injured, but still alive.

She scooped it up and started driving down U.S. 19 in Holiday, looking for the first veterinarian's office she could find.

What Melissa found was a big disappointment.

The first vet said he was too busy to even look at the cat, and the next vet said he wouldn't help her if she couldn't pay for the cat.

Melissa was running out of time and hope when she pulled up in front of the Suncoast Animal League in Palm Harbor, but even though the door said "closed", two workers came out and immediately came to her rescue.

Denise Probeck and Laura Szynal brought the cat inside and started to work on him, while also cleaning up and calming down Melissa.

Turns out, the kitty had chest injuries and a dislocated jaw that required surgery and a month-long recuperation.

The league paid for the expensive treatment itself and also found the cat a new, loving home.

Melissa kept in close contact with Denise and Laura and says if not for them, the cat would likely have died.

She says the two women did what the vet's office should have done: put the animal's health first instead of money or time concerns.

If you'd like to find out more information about the Suncoast Animal League, hear about their upcoming events, or make a donation, you can go to their website at http://www.suncoastanimalleague.net/