The Story of Jade

The Story of ‘Jade’

On the afternoon of Sunday, November 29, I got a call from the Police Department that a cat had been hit by a car on West Wyoming Avenue but was still alive. Since I was about 20 minutes away, I asked if there was anyone else who could get the cat to a vet sooner. One of the officers volunteered. This rather gruff and tough officer, who would probably be embarrassed if his name was mentioned here, is a true animal lover. He tucked the kitten under his arm and drove her to Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn.

While I searched for her owner, MVRH stabilized her and kept her comfortable. Her injuries were extensive: numerous fractures of her jaw and pelvis and a shattered rear leg. After two days, when nobody had stepped forward to claim her, we had no more time to wait. She needed surgery soon. I started phoning and emailing all the animal rescue groups I could, looking for donations for her care.

The response was amazing. MVRH donated hundreds of dollars worth of care in order to keep her bill as small as possible. Every single group I approached gave a donation. In the meantime, MVRH continued to give her the best care possible, just as though she was a loved pet owned by a paying client, and not a homeless stray. She turned out to be a lovely affectionate kitten, and soon won the hearts of MVRH staff.

For a day or two, it looked like her injuries might be too extensive for her to be saved, but little Jade has a strong will and she rallied. Unfortunately her left rear leg was so badly damaged that it had to be amputated. However, cats have amazing recuperative powers and as of this writing, Jade has already learned to get around very well on three legs.

I would like to thank the many groups and individuals who have helped Jade. A huge thank you goes to MVRH for their excellent care and compassion toward this little homeless creature. Many groups, and several anonymous individuals, donated funds: Melrose Humane Society, the Animal Relief Fund, MassPAWS, Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, and MVMA Charities.

Soon Jade will be ready to have her own home and family. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” All the caring and generosity shown by people for this little scrap of life proves to me that there is true greatness to be found everywhere we look.

As a final note, I will share the moment that finally brought tears to my eyes in the story of this little cat. I was on the phone with the MVRH hospital manager making arrangements for paying Jade’s bill, and as we were finishing our conversation she actually thanked me for giving the hospital a chance to help Jade!

UPDATE- JADE HAS BEEN ADOPTED!