Asking for help in paying off emergency vet bills for two rescued cats

[red top rescue]

and thanks Hope, @2Cats4everLoved   reminding me about the Adam Sandler song.  That actually sounds more like my last car, the one that was totaled in the accident and led to my accumulation of Vet Debt.  This is the car I was able to get because a friend gave me $1800 to get a car.  I just put the word out with other friends that I was in the market for something that would get me around and that was under $2000  Everyone said you can't get a decent car for under $2000, but it had some dings and one door doesn't open (passenger side rear) but it worked for me, who had NO car..  It was a good price for that car and it has been basically great until the weather got hot and that's when the problems started.  It appears to have a head gasket leak in the 3rd cylinder.  Diagnosis took awhile as it wasn't obvious.  Now waiting on some Steel Seal to be shipped and hopefully that fixes it.  Right now its range is limited to about 15 miles, at which point it will overheat and  I have to stop and let it cool down until I can open the radiator and put in more fluid.  Fortunately everything I need is i n that 15 mile radius, including the vet.  I don't hate the car.  I just want it to be trustable again. I think it's all part of being 72.  Old person, old cats, old car, old home, limited income, life is harder than it was when I was younger.  But I am blessed with good health, and my cats are blessed with good health currently, and I really can't complain.  But would appreciate prayers to the Car Goddess (yes CAR, not cat this time) that the Steel Seal arrives soon and that it works perfectly to preserve the life of this car.  PS problems over the last three days had to do with battery going dead when I didnt drive for 2 days.  Fortunately battery purchased back in March of 2015 was still under warranty, so that has been replaced, and that only cost me $35 for labor.

 

[2Cats4everLoved]

I'm so glad you weren't offended.  After I wrote that post, I checked out the lyrics and honestly I haven't heard that song since the 90's when we were driving up to Holderness New Hampshire to go camping and my friends car broke down in CT, and the kids were singing it in the car.  PHEW!

I can't get over the fact you have grandchildren and in your 70's, I thought you were a 30 something.  lol

With that said, I hope during this chaotic flux you're in, you take care of yourself.  You're an extraordinary care giver to your furry wee ones and now your CAR.  It's important you take a moment for your self when you can.

I am so glad the fundraising is working wonders.  I plan to tap my  friends wallets soon, as I said I would.  I'll let you know when it will be mailed.

Be well my friend - big hugs -   Hope

For those reading, please help out!  

FYI - 5 dollars is much better spent going towards our furry friends then that 5 dollar coffee drink...  just saying

 

[hbunny]

Hey, that Adam Sandler song...I have the explicit version on my phone and it cracks me up every time I come across it.  I've driven cars that you would marvel at them going down the road because they looked like they wouldn't be able to move without falling to pieces.  Love it.  One of the best cars I ever had was a Datsun egg-looking thing, the color we called cat-xxxx brown, and it only had one front seat.  That thing I would have depended on to drive around the world in. It just had, er, issues.

@Red Top Rescue   Hang in there and please do not hesitate to ask others for help.  As bad as this world may seem, and people say society is deteriorating, there are still people out here that care!!  There ARE still good people in the world.  Thanks for being one of them

 

[red top rescue]

I got one more day behind in everything because one of my cats decided it would be a good day to die yesterday, since she was exactly three years and four months old that day.  I think it was a saddle thrombus (google it) but not sure,  It was sudden and horribly painful and I was glad that I always keep one dose of buprenex handy for emergencies, so that helped her pain fairly quickly while I got dressed, filled the car radiator, and rushed her to the vet.  Despite the fact that I had called and they knew it was an emergency euthanasia, the receptionist said they couldn't fit her in until 11:00 (it was 10:20 when we arrived), but they could take her "to the back" and euthanize her, but I wanted to stay with her.  I asked them to check with the head of the clinic, who was in with a patient, to get approval for me to go in the back with her, but just then a woman with two little dogs offered us her appointment, said she didn't mind waiting, and in we went.  Bless her!  Squeakie was pretty out of it but even purred weakly while I stroked her head.  They know you are there.  The vet came in quickly with the pre-op shot and left long enough for her go deeply asleep before the final shot.  He understood my need to be with her all the way.  My vets are great (but some of the receptionists could use some sensitivity training!)   In a few days, when I can handle it, I'll post a tribute to Squeaky in Crossing the Bridge.  Thank you all for being here and caring. 

 

[Lyzzie]

I'm so sorry for your loss

 

[zed xyzed]

Oh no, that is awful news I am so sorry you lost Squeaky. RIP sweet girl 

 

[hbunny]

I am so sorry to hear this!  Bless you, you have been through hell lately.  I am just even gladder now that you started that fund page.  Glad it helped, and hope you still have extra.

 

[red top rescue]

I too am glad I had started this funding page @hbunny and that I have been paying the vets something every few days -- not that they would notice, but the desk staff must have seen it, and it felt ever so much better to have a much lower outstanding bill.   As it turned out yesterday, the bill was only $49.99 for Squeakie's euthanasia (they waived any standard exam fee, and I always bury my own cats so there is no extra charge there.)   I was even able to give them an extra $100 towards the past due amount because of the latest generous contribution from someone I had helped with an adoption three years ago.  So this expense was a minor setback in the progress we're making to a zero balance, but it did slow down my thank you notes for another day, as I was pretty much useless that day and the next, taking some time to mourn and cuddle with the other cats.  Now I need to package up some eBay items I sold (my other fundraising activity) and ship them out to their new owners before 5:00 and then come back and continue thank you notes.  The e-cards will come from Jacquie Lawson, a delightful artist in the UK.  Don't be afraid to open them (some people are afraid ecards contain viruses) -- her site is well protected.

 

[Lyzzie]

As promised, donation made! You're almost there @Red Top Rescue, I shared the page via FB, hope it helps.

 

[red top rescue]

Thank you so much!  Just checking in today but basically I am working (a chance to make a little money helping a friend with landscaping.  Taking a break for a moment.  Delighted to see a donation as it has been a few days since any have come in, probably due to the holiday weekend in the U.S. plus it's time for me to do an update but have been too busy for the last couple of days.  I really appreciate you remembering!

 

[red top rescue]

UPDATE:   it has been ONE MONTH and we are almost at our goal!  I would like to thank all the generous TCS members who have donated to help pay off the remaining balance owed to my vets for past emergency surgeries on two cats, Grey Boy and Coonie. It's so exciting and gratifying to be just a few hundred dollars short of my goal and see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I will continue to update the YouCaring page and acknowledge every TCS donor on this S.O.S. post.  TCS supporters have been the foundation of the success so far, as most of my local friends are also involved in rescue and are running their own legitimate campaigns!  f you donated but are not on this list, perhaps I didn't have your TCS name, or perhaps you wanted to stay completely anonymous.  I just want everyone here to see what a team effort this has been and how much I appreciate you.   Again, huge hugs and thanks to all!

2CATS4EVERLOVED

ABBYSMOM

ANNE

BETSYGEE

COLUMBINE

CORLY Y

DENICE

DI & BOB

ERIC S. & MIDI

HBUNNY & WURP & SHORTSTACK

JESSICA De La Cruz

JULES10

JULIAN S.

LYZZIE

MARGD

MRSGREENJEANS

NEWYORK1303

RAYSMYHEART

SAKSHI

SIVYALEAH

TALKING PEANUT

 

[Lyzzie]

You're actually the one who deserves all the credit IMHO.

Thanks for the card, I loved it!

 

[hbunny]

Lots of

 from Wurp & Shortstack! 

 

[2Cats4everLoved]

This is great news.  I'm very happy for you.  I hope somewhere along the line you can and will take a moment for yourself to take a deep breath.

Best to you always my friend.  I will never forget how you were there for me. XOXO

 

[rosa bood]

Red Top Rescue I'm curious how your fund reached people even in another country such as France. Do you know people in France? I have been rescuing mostly cats for the past 16 years. I am disabled and unable to hold a job due to many medical issues including chronic pain. I desperately need help myself to be able to continue helping more cats etc.. I have been depressed because nobody has donated to my rescuing efoorts in over a year. Even when I did receive a small donation of cat food,litter,kitten formula etc. it never was enough to sustain my rescuing costs. As a result I got into a deep financial crisis. I love animals with my whole heart and I am a 100% dedicated animal rescuer. It kills me to not be able to take in any needy animals at this time! If I could get some donations I would help some more animals immediately. I have a clinic I have been using for many years that knows I am a true,genuine,devoted,volunteer,non-paid, animal rescuer. The name of it is Humanitarians of Florida. It is located in Crystal River,Florida. I also am an animal advocate, and I have a lost,found,rehoming group on Facebook called Citrus County Lost / Found / Rehoming. I feel like a fish out of water now that I have had to turn away needy cats/kittens the past couple months. There are numerous kittens in need in my county. People do not spay and neuter like they should. There are way too many cats for the amount of good homes! Therefore thousands are being euthanized in our county yearly. I am a big advocate for spay & neuter also! I do my best to help in any way I can. I hope with all of my heart people will hear my cry for help for the animals; and want to support my self sacrificing, animal rescue, volunteer work I have a passion for doing...and I do so well! I need help,I honestly can't do this alone. I'm willing to work my hardest to provide love and the best of care to animals (mostly cats) but I need financial backing. Animal control has been to my house twice and was amazed at how clean and well taken care of all of my animals were. There were some people that highly criticized me for begging for help for the cats, and they called Animal Control I guess to be sure the cats needs were being met. I'm not angry about this because I believe they probably had the best of intentions. However it would have been nice if they helped me out with the cats after knowing the cats were being extremely well taken care of! I'm so happy to read you have been receiving support for your dedicated work you do to help needy animals Red Top Rescue!!! I hope the support continues and you are able to save many precious lives!!! Sincerely,Rosa Jacquard Bood

 

[red top rescue]

The reason I have had international donors is because The Cat Site is an international site, and TCS members have generously donated.   I have been an advisor here for several years and spent hours of my time helping people and their cats with advice and good information.  We are all volunteers here.  Nobody gets paid.  Some of my donors were people from TCS who appreciated the time I've given to them and their questions, etc. and to others, so they donated to this particular appeal.  I have never before asked for help, and it was very hard for me to do it this time.  I had always managed to catch up with everything until I was in a car accident which totaled my car, and left me with injuries which took time to recover from.  The cats don't go away, so the current cats still get food and vet care, but the emergencies became a large past due bill.  Logically, I should have put both cats to sleep, and if my vets had not been willing to do the surgery immediately without payment, and wait for me to pay over time as I had done before, then I would have had no choice.  This time, because of the loss of the car, and the second cat's escape and injury (if you read the appeal, you will know the story of those two), I have kept up with the needs of approximately 15 cats, but I was unable to pay more than about $25 a month on the accumulated total of the old bills, which was around $1500.  Do the math:  Paying off $25 a month over my normal vet expenses was just taking too long, and someone suggested doing a Go Fund Me.  Well, Go Fund Me is not international, and TCS is an international site, so I used YouCaring instead.  Since most of my local friends are also in rescue and always posting for special needs using GoFundMe and FundRazr etc., I would not expect any help from them.  My fund raiser has been pretty much funded by people I have helped in the past.  I've been in rescue many years, and besides TCS folks, others who donated are people who have adopted cats and kittens from me, or people I have helped with their own cats.  It does seem that eventually if you have been giving to others for a long time, and you have a need and express it, they will help. I would not have asked for myself, but for the cats and for my vets, I was able to do it.  This isn't an ongoing campaign for help with rescue -- it's for one specific vet bill, from a long time ago actually, and when the goal is met (and we're almost there!) I will end it.  I'm actually trying NOT to rescue any more, and still trying to find homes for those here who are adoptable.  Still, sometimes the heart gives in, which is why I have 4 feral babies and a young adult male in my study right now.  Fortunately, he is training the feral babies that humans are OK.  He was abandoned at a motel by a person who lived there and moved away, leaving him outside.  He spent the night in a tree, and a motel worker found him the next day.  The motel owner told her to take him to animal control, but it was closed for Labor Day so this cat was in luck and the worker found my number online, and I agreed to take him if she brought him to me since my car was not working.  This sweet cat had two choices -- my study, or animal control, where he would no doubt be euthanized quickly, being an adult non-neutered black cat (so sweet though!) because in our county, the only way for animals to get OUT of Animal Control is to be (1) reclaimed by an owner or (2) taken on by a rescue.  They do not do adoptions there.  As for the feral kittens, they are a PRE-PAID and previously agreed upon deal with the local yacht club, where the mama cat was dumped.  They knew cute feral kittens wouldn't stand a chance at animal control, so they came to me with cash to pay their expenses while I get them socialized, neutered and spayed, and adopted into permanent homes.   I could not have taken them otherwise.  We all have to limit our rescuing to what we can afford, and use the community resources available to us.  Hopefully, the Cat Goddess won't give us more than we can handle most of the time, and when she does, maybe there will be others willing to chip in.

I understand your frustration because I too live in the south and there are huge numbers of beautiful sweet cats and kittens euthanized here too.  I too have limited income, only Social Security retirement which I had to take early because my position was eliminated when I was 60 and my boss retired at age 65.  I had not planned on that.  There are many rescuers and rescue groups here and we save those we can save, and to them, it matters.  We can each only do a certain amount, and others do their part.  Our biggest and best no-kill shelter here found themselves in the same shape, they took in too many animals and donations didn't keep up with it, and they are finding ways to change policies because you can't always say yes and still be responsible for those you already have.  This month they are charging only $9 per adult cat for adoptions (completely vaccinated, tested, neutered and spayed cats!) because every year the cute kittens come along and steal all the homes, and there's no place for the older young cats (i.e. 1 year or older) to go.  Yes, neuter/spay should be a county service and free for all, and still some people wouldn't do it, but it would help.  I'm hopeful that the next generation will get to that.  Best of luck with your own rescuing, and keep it to what you can afford.  You and the cats will all be better off that way.  Be happy for those you can save and try not to think about the others.  Remember, you are NOT the Cat Goddess!  You and me and other rescuers all work for her, but we aren't in charge.  We are just servants.  Believe me, if I had a magic wand, there would be no need for rescue.  Every animal would have a loving home waiting as soon as they were born.  That's my definition of Heaven.

 

[cat nap]

I hope you reach your goal, @Red Top Rescue.

(And I hope that car of yours, behaves itself, too. Don't know, but feral cats are probably easier to deal with, at times, then cars deciding to break down.)

 

[rosa bood]

Thank you Red Top Rescue for your reply. I truly wish you the very best and I hope you reach your goal also. I will be probably making payments on my credit cards the rest of my life for all of the medical expenses I have charged to help the hundreds of cats and dogs... the needy animals and the bills never ends. It breaks my heart to know how many animals will end up euthanized because nobody including myself will be able to help.  

 

[Loving Mickey]

You are such an inspiration to all of us here at TCS. I just donated a little something, hoping it can help you in reaching your goal. All those precious kitties are so lucky to have you. Wishing you all the very best!!
With love and hugs, Gloria

 

[Lyzzie]

Hi @Red Top Rescue, I was wondering how you and your crew were doing? And what about your car?