Success Stories Archives

Remember the "Kinsale 10" (or the beach kittens) Story ? Well, they are going from strength to strength !

See here for the original story. So, grab that cup of coffee and read on. As you know a most wonderful woman called Maggie, found them and took on their care. Yes, all ten (10) of them ! What a woman!  No effort was spared on these guys and in Maggie’s capable hands they started thriving.  Several have been adopted into the most wonderful homes, due to the efforts of Maggie and Anne, our coordinator, who worked tirelessly together to find the dream homes. So, we decided to share just one such home with you., straight from the adopters mouth:

Hi Anne,

Thought you might like an update on our new little boy. You and Maggie know him as Flash, but we've actually renamed him Felix because he reminded us of the cat from the catfood ad. 

He's a real little pet, loves attention and has to be the centre of anything happening. He's constantly up to some sort of mischief and even Honey (our other cat) has started to warm to him (which is no mean feat in itself!).

 I'm enclosing some photos for you - I'm including the other email address in this in the hope that Albert gets to see them.  Felix is sitting behind me as we speak trying to push me off the chair and will probably succeed as he normally gets his own way!  We are still hoping that Henry, our missing cat, may one day return home so fingers crossed - I wonder what he'd make of his new little brother.

 Felix was neutered yesterday by my husband, Gavin.  He got the full N.C.T. - 2nd vaccs, microchipped, ears, gums so he is in good hands.

 Regards,

Siobhan & Gavin Russell

Siobhan and husband Russell (who is a vet) work at the Riverview Clinic in Bandon. Talk about a dream home !!! A vet and vet nurse, as his new Mum and Dad. But our unsung Hero is Maggie. We ( The ACS) have existed for 9.5 years but have never found any member of the public who was willing to take on a task of such magnitude. Words of appreciation fail us  and would not do her justice. An old North American Indian Legend says that when we die, the animals who crossed our path will sit in judgement over us and will decide our faith. Well, if that is so, Maggie, you will get the Red Carpet welcome and an honour guard !

NATURE COMES CALLING !

Yes, Nature comes calling and she came early this year. Traditionally, we animal rescue groups get a small breathing pause in Dec/Jan & February since in those colder months the kitten birth rate drops down. But. No such luck this year. 5 days ago Nature came calling and she left us ( and Mum ! ) a present. Aren't they beautiful ?

This lucky mum only had 3 babies. When we took Lucy (Mum) and her sister in we noticed that she was heavily pregnant and wondered. Well, we wonder no more and are now waiting for Lucy's sister to give birth too. So, our much needed breathing space OVER. IF ONLY the owners ( and they must have had them at one time or the other, as both are tame ) would have had them spayed. IF ONLY ! These kittens are extremely lucky, born in our heated cattery, Mum and sister being giving mince and the very best of food to help them recover and get the best possible foundation for their babies. Our cattery manager dotes on them and can you blame her ? But spare a thought. PLEASE. Think of the Mum's out there, in bitterly cold weather, in a wreck of car at a breakers yard, giving birth, in an old shed, concrete floor on an old coal sack, if that. The result ? DEATH. Kittens cannot regulate their own body temperature and the temps at night are well below freezing. A horrible waste of lives and a horrible death.

Our message to YOU, your family, visitors and friends alike, Spay and Neuter your animals, both Cats and Dogs. PLEASE.

Emigrant News

Banjo, a teeny female calico, wandered into Bantry bikeshop at the age of around 5 weeks. All four paws had bad burn damage, two pads peeling off completely, and her hind leg was burnt to the bone. We figured she'd got the injuries from travelling on a car engine. She was terrified of people and from that wariness and her general initial behaviour and skinny, skanky appearance we're pretty sure she probably hadn't been handled or looked after until she came to us. She stayed with us for six months, due to complications, and emigrated to the UK plush and affectionate; a changed kitten-cat. (You can see her full story here.)

It's difficult to part company with foster kittens; it's too easy to get attached. But I know they'll find excellent homes in the UK, with more individual love and attention than I can give them. And that makes it a little bit easier.
Soon after I got an email: "I thought I would drop you a line to let you know how one of your rescue cats is getting on! I do hope that you get this e-mail and please do reply if you can."

We don't get this often enough – news of our rehomed kittens. And it's joy to receive! Victoria Elliott & James Wicks of Stroud, Glos, UK had adopted Banjo (now renamed Lilly Banjo).

Victoria later wrote: "Thought i'd send you a few recent pics of Lilly enjoying the sun this weekend. As you can see she has made friends with our two guinea pigs (she keeps licking her lips!!) and loves having cuddles in the garden! We have just fitted a cat flap so are currently trying to teach her how to use it! And she has just started to bring us little presents home in the form of birds and even a slow worm! errr...! She must love us!"

I don't blame Lilly/Banjo for loving them. They sound like an excellent home. And I'm delighted to see pictures of my foster kitten growing up happy and loved.

"You do an excellent job and I am so grateful that you saved Banjo. We promise you that she will have the best life ever!" said Victoria.

I am so grateful Victoria took Banjo in.

Billy-Jean

I'm Billy-Jean and Albert has asked me to tell my story:

" A kind passerby found me crawling along the side of a little country road. Filthy dirty (my photo was taken after a 2 hour long cleaning session ! ) , starving from hunger and crawling with fleas and ear mites. I was handed in to a vet to be killed ( you call it euthanized ) but death is death, no matter what you call it. Fortunately, this kind vet called an ACS volunteer, who in spite of being completely overloaded ,took me home and into his heart. As you humans say the rest is history. Please don't ask me why. Why me ? Why not a cold needle with Sodium Pento Barbitol in my tiny veins ? Why ? I do not know. All I know is that not all of you called " human" beings are alike. You may look alike, talk alike and smell alike, but inside each of you is something which makes you unique. In some of you lives Love, Compassion and Kindness. In others, disdain, hatred, callousness and cruelty. Some of you enjoy injustice, some of you devote their lives to combating it. As for me ? Love, warmth and protection are now my daily companions, because of a human being. I wish there were more like those of you.

Billy-Jean.

A Mum's Love

If there are stories which break our hearts, you are reading one. Look at this Mum and her kittens. Please look at her. A happy Mum and her baby's right? WRONG. This is Princess and she is paralysed! Not even the finest vet in the land can explain how she managed to give birth. We certainly don't know. A huge Tom did this to her, the same Tom which so maimed her sister that she could not be saved. The same Tom which killed all the sisters kittens, one by one. The future for Princess is uncertain, this happened six (6!) months ago and she was not taken to a vet for treatment. As the owner was afraid that the vet would put her down. How she got pregnant we do not understand, we cannot understand, this cat is paralysed! She is an adorable cat and a fantastic Mum, she dotes on her kittens and cares for them like no other.

For now Princess is safe, she is with us, The Animal CARE Society. We are proud of our name and she is living proof of it.

» Please help us support Princess by sponsoring her - click here

Exhausted

LOOK AT ME: Wonderboy Alfie, Yes, I am one and the same dog and you can read my story below. These photo's were taken a few days after that wonderful Lady took me in. Look at me now, I am walking and have made an unbelievable recovery. I am not going to tell you her name, but I tell you this, there is no more caring person on the planet. Enuf said ? Woof !

I was found collapsed on the side of the road by a kind passerby who put me in his garden and called the ACS. I'm old... not sure exactly, maybe 15 - 17 years ? Who knows. I've no name yet, am too weak to walk, and suffer from a vicious ear infection and the vet says I have prostate problem, whatever that may mean.

A hard day at the office

The Cork ACS ? Don't talk to me about them. Their homecheck? It makes me laugh. Look at me, just look at me. I was barely in the door at my new Mum (Magda) and her partners home and they said I had to "do the office". Crazy ? I thought so too, but look at me, I was given a Laptop, phone and Iplayer and told to get on with it. Which is what I did as you can see.

Slave drivers, that is what I call them. But.. they love me and I have claimed their bed as my own, so who laughs last.... laughs best.

Ivy The Terrible

One Friday market day, Ivy, a beautiful female collie, was found tied to a pole by bright orange rope. She was curled up in a cardboard box with no bedding and cowered as we approached. The person who had tied her up had very thoughtfully(!) stuck a note up stating that: 'This dog was found wandering in traffic last night. Looking for her owners or possibly a new home??' Now while I acknowledge that this person did more than most by acting rather than leaving the dog to wander loose, the action they did take was simply not good enough. The dog was tied and left with no food or water. One of the tradesmen had given her a box to sleep in and a staff member from a nearby hotel had given her a bowl of water and a bone. So we untied Ivy and took her home.

While waiting for her forever home, Ivy came with me for a street collection for the ACS. She was a star! She approached children without any persuasion and was delighted with all the attention! Ivy even helped one little girl conquer her fear of dogs long enough to pat a dog for the first time in her life! A true spokesbowwow for dog kind.

After her profile was put on the West Cork Animal Welfare Group site. A young lady, Sarah, emailed me enquiring about Ivy. The family lived in Cork City and Ivy sat in the back seat for the spin to Innishannon. When we pulled in to the car park to wait she moved to the passenger seat and watched the second car pull in with interest. Sarah had not come to collect Ivy, her mother and grandmother had instead. Her mother, Jean, explained to me Sarah wanted the excitement of seeing Ivy walk through the front door! Jean hugged Ivy and Ivy was delighted with the attention. We put Ivy in to the back seat of their car and while Jean and I spoke, Ivy wasted no time in washing Jean's mother's face!

Since her placement I have spoken to Jean who assures me that Ivy is very much part of the family. Another happy ending!

See Ivy's story in full here.        

NO, not UP the Walls, IN THE WALL !

An urgent call came in to our cattery manager.
Can you please come over right away. I hear a kitten crying and it seems to come from INSIDE a wall.

The address was a lovely motel on the outskirts of Cork City and our cattery manager lost no time to get to the address given. She was met by the motel receptionist who took her to what looked like an impenetrable brick wall. AND YES. faintly she heard a kitten cry from within! Try as they might none of the staff was able to explain how that kitten would have gotten inside the wall, there was absolutely NO ACCESS to the cavity! The only way to save this fast fading little life was to break into the cavity by taking out the bricks. This being an outer wall of the motel required skill, Craftsmanship and patience, not least to avoid rubble crushing the kitten.

Fortunately, the motel maintenance engineer was such a person and within 4 hours he started work. We all hoped that one brick would be enough, but no, three full bricks had to be removed before our volunteer was able to reach in deep enough and get her fingers round the little waif. 3 weeks old if that.. and a miracle.. no other words are possible. "Miracle" was rushed back home to be given food, warmth and TLC and as we write this is sound asleep. She is being hand-fed as she is not able to eat by herself.

The Cork Animal Care Society wishes to say a huge Thank You to staff and owner of the Sunset Ridge motel. Next time you are looking for a place to stay, look no further, they TRULY CARE ABOUT YOU. Oh. a final note, our kittens name? You guessed it: Sunrise.

Buster and Breaker (B&B)

Meet B&B, Buster and Breaker. Their Story? For sale at a local dog fair (show) to the highest bidder. Age. barely 5 weeks old, if that. Far Far too young to be taken from their Mum. Not vacinated.. not wormed.. not nothing. Well thank God they weren't vacinated.. at 5 weeks that could kill them.

Yes, we bought them. Wrong? perhaps so. Would you have walked by and let them there? They are lucky puppies. border terriers to be precise, very lucky. The ACS will care for them and find them homes, one is already booked. Whenever will we get decent legislation forbidding this horrible money making racket, they should be with their Mum till they are at least 8 weeks old.

Help us to stamp out this practice.help us fight for new proper legislation to prevent this awful trade.
» See our article in the NEWS section

N0.. NOT JUST CATS AND DOGS!

As you can see, we don't just do "cats and dogs". We do them all, and this case, it was Momma Duck and her babies who needed us real bad. Our volunteer received a call from a concerned lady to say that a mother duck and her babies were walking down a main road and two had already been killed by traffic.

Our volunteer raced down to the scene and found Mum and her 11 (eleven!) babies in extreme danger. With help she was able to get the Mum into a small side road and again with help of concerned bystanders and a wonderful local shopkeeper Mum and offspring were loaded in two cardboard boxes and taken to a nearby pond.

The photo's show the happy family swimming of in the distance. The ACS wishes to thank all bystanders in Blackpool who helped, Cathy Wilde for her valuable advice and especially Mr. George Kingston who even left his shop to give our volunteer a lift down to the quiet and safe pond where they were released.

Yipee.. I am home !

We just received this email msg from one of our supporters who's little treasured cat called Saffy went missing more than 2 weeks ago. Here goes:

Dear ACS,

We have good news ! While Sara was around Tower on Thursday a little girl approached her to tell her that they have this black cat lurking around their house. They did not want to take it in because it had a collar. Sara knew straight away that it was Saffy. All the way out there! She dropped her off yesterday and we are delighted! So is Saffy. She is so happy to be back and is like a magnet at the moment. We are eternally grateful for your help and you will always have our support.

With best wishes,

Mike and Farina

Editors note: This goes to show, do NOT give up. Put up posters and widen the net, Saffy was miles away when finally found. Her collar saved her life ! Saffy is off the vet in the next few days to be micro chipped, just in case she ever gets lost again.

Paradise Found !

We just received this from a lovely family who adopted these dogs from the ACS. Read their story below.

This is Lady & her adopted sister Oonagh. Both Lady & Oonagh came to our family in September 2004. They were both being taken care of by the ACS after they had bad starts in life.

Lady had a lovely home with an elderly gentleman where she was the centre of attention & never once saw another cat or dog. She sat happily at her owners feet & loved to be rubbed on her belly & head by her owners feet. To this day she still tries to catch Coronation Street!

Unfortunately her owner died & Lady was left alone until the ACS rescued her & gave her all the booster shots & veterinary care that she needed.

Oonagh had a really tough start. She was owned by members of the travelling community who tattooed her ears & tried to race her. She is a strange mix of what appears to be a lab & a lurcher. It seems she was to excitable to do any racing let alone win so she was severely beaten & left on the side of the road near Mallow to die. Luckily a member of the public found her & contacted the ACS who took her in & cleaned her up.

Although Lady is a one person dog she has really become a family pet. She had to when she moved into a house with 6 people, 3 cats & one mad dog. Sometimes if you don't rub her in the right way or if too many people are around she gets a bit snappy but calms down again if you offer her a cup of tea (!).

Oonagh was very tough to deal with. As she had taken such bad beatings earlier on, when we first met her she crawled out to us on her belly & stayed pretty much like that for a long time. That was hard to watch as we now know what a mad vibrant TALL dog she actually is. Walking her was a nightmare as she is terrified of all strangers especially men, and for some reason the bus & bus stops terrified her. Luckily her daily walk is a route avoiding all bus stops & at night when there are not too many others around.

To see them now you would not believe it. Lady was originally called Wooly & that is easy to see why! but before the summer comes we get her shaved by her favourite dog groomer, Sharon, and she runs around happily like a little puppy.

Oonagh is 100% different. We have a good sized garden which she thinks is a race course & does a good twenty laps every time the gate is opened. We don't have any nice flowers anymore though!!

Lately she has been getting brave & scaling the fence when she knows there is someone in the garden to call her back. Our house backs onto a large wooded area so we know she is safe to roam around & probably realise her dream of chasing rabbits!

It was hard work taking in rescue dogs but well worth it. The ACS were very good & professional, they did thorough checks & called to the house to see our garden & how much room they would have. They also had the 2 girls neutered before we got them which is so important, especially since Oonagh is a bit of a flirt!

We love our girls even if Lady chases her tail like a spinning top & Oonagh forgets how big she is & tries to play with the cats!

They are happy, we are happy & I hope this story & pictures of our 2 prize pets encourages others to adopt a pet from the ACS.

Meet Amy, Citizen of CORK 2008

Look at her. Not even one year old. Her weight just over ten kilo's. And the most unbelievable thing of all? She licked my hand and try to give me a paw. Make no mistake about it, this dog had an owner, she must have done. Her weight is HALF of what it should be, she is riddled with worms and has an awful amount of mange. The photo's do not show her awful state, her waist would make a wasp proud, her ribs are sticking out with the skin drum tight over it. Yes, this is Cork 2008, someone out there saw to it that dog was reduced from what should have been a loving healthy family pet to a mange covered, worm infested skeleton.

After many years in animal welfare I have had to harden myself or go under but this dog reduced me to tears. What did she do to deserve this appalling treatment? She wasn't a Christmas present, the neglect has gone on too long for her to be in this shocking state. Did the "owner" decide to see how far he could starve her before she died? We will never know, one thing is for sure he/she will never come forward. If she had been a camp dog in Auswitz this is what she might have looked like. But she came from Cork City. Cork City 2008 with over five thousand 08 reg. new cars sold. 3000 sqft houses in abundance, pubs and restaurants full till overflowing.

Amy, as we have called her, is now safe. Her first night she slept next to my bed, on a thick duvet to keep her bones from hurting. She is an ACS dog now. A long road of recovery lies ahead of her. She is fed every two hours on a special diet, her system cannot take normal meals. No money will be spared on her, we will see to it that she will receive only the best. Please help us care for Amy. In the first three weeks of this year the ACS paid out almost 11,000.- euro in vets bills. ELEVEN Thousand Euros! Every euro you donate will help us to continue to care for the likes of Amy. She is not alone. Will YOU help her?

STOP PRESS: Fantastic Home found for Amy! Her life will never be the same again.

Postman Pat

YES, it's me! Postman Pat, the cat who came in an An Post mail bag from Limerick to the Cork sorting office. That's now almost 2 years ago and boy, did I have an event full life, let me tell you, those ACS folks are something else. After my original rescue, (I'll tell you about it over some tuna on a rainy day), the ACS folks found me a great home in the UK. I had it made. Well, almost...I blew it. You see, I am kinda fearless and after the fire brigade had been called for the 3rd time to get me out of those high trees my adopted parents decided that I was too much of handful. So, a new home had to be found (without high trees!). Well, I'm happy to report I was adopted by a most wonderful lady called Marion and let me tell you...I have it made!! Just look at me...do I look stressed? No Sir, I ain't. She's called me Paddy, I wonder how she figured out I was Irish?

The photo's show Fiona, one time ACS treasurer holding me at my check up (just out of that postbag!) and the other one doing a bit o' relaxing at Marion's. place. I'll tell you this, THANK GOD for the ACS.

JASMINE

Remember the Story of Jasmine, the little brave cat who survived a horrible ordeal? Well, here is an update on her story:

Hi Albert,
Thought you might like an update of how Jasmine and Snowdrop are getting along this Christmas.
Jasmine has definitely endeared herself to everyone that has met her. The neighbours love her morning visit to check up on them, she rules the place with an iron will, demanding attention wherever she goes and if you don't give it to her, she simply talks to you until you cave in. The only ones who don't like her are the chickens.....but that might be because she thinks' they are there as entertainment. Snowdrop has got used to her now, and they play together all the time - but Jasmine's definitely the more energetic one.

The body count is rising fast - they are both great little hunters, and frequently leave us little presents around the house. Half a mouse, a frog or two, a slowworm or even a hidden bird that will fly out and scare you as you enter a room...the rat's are our least favourite presents - especially the one they released as a 'pet' in the kitchen which stole all our chocolate biscuits (now thankfully gone).

The Christmas tree has amazingly survived so-far, but small cat-paws are not really suited to wrapping presents, no matter how much they insist on helping. I think they are both looking forward to a little turkey dinner on the day itself.

As we are typing this, they are both having a very hard day. Jasmine is asleep on the foot-stool and snowdrop is attempting to cook herself on the radiator, while not falling down the gap between it and the windowsill on which she is precariously perched. We've attached a few photo's of them in their favourite pastimes - sleeping and causing trouble - hope you enjoy them!!

Wishing you both a very merry Christmas, and a fabulous New Year, and thank you for the gift of two of the most wonderful cats in the world!!

Our boy, Sam

Meet Sam. Sam can tell you that cruelty is alive and well in Cork. Sam was either run over, or viciously kicked, so viciously that his thighbone was so badly fractured that amputation turned out to be the only solution.

When we got him his fracture was already 5-6 weeks old. The pain and agony he must have endured, dragging that useless leg behind him, does not bear thinking about. And to make sure that he suffered some more, a group of young kids between 6 and 10 years old were beating him with sticks on his broken leg.

Sam does not think much of humans and can you blame him ? But in-spite of all he went thru, he still licks my hand and says: I know you care and I will be forever grateful to you. Sam, you put us humans to shame, we do not deserve you.

Please help us by donating to Sam's vets bills they weren't cheap but they were worth every single penny he cost us. Sam will make a full recovery and even though he will never win a race, he will be a faithful companion to a human who will care for him when he is ready to go to a new home.

If you want to help Sam, please go to our Sponsor A Pet page and sponsor him. Your help will ensure that he will have the future he so deserves.

Your Very Own ACS Slide Show

By clicking on these ICONS we will transport you into a world of animal welfare. Out of the thousands of photos in our files we have selected just a few. These photos are as they were taken, nothing added, nothing taken away. While watching you travel with our volunteers and see a few, a very few of the animals as they came into our care and into a new future. Each and every photo was a rescue and it is fair to say that without the ACS virtually all of them would be dead. We used any camera available, from throwaway to digital, we wanted to capture the moment. Dates have been left on... we are not professional photographers or camera men. We are rescuers. To us, these are not just photo's, these are frozen moments in time, moments where because of our work death became life, hunger became food, misery and suffering became comfort and health. We selected the photos to bring you a message. No images of suffering are present, instead we give you images of a new future. Click now and join us and them in a journey of HOPE.

	VIEW THE WEB SHOW VERSION
	DOWNLOAD THE ZIPPED VERSION

As said, we are rescuers not camera men, we want your feed back on this, good or bad. Drop us a line at slideshow@animalcaresociety.ie. We'd love to hear from you.

Please note: We have two versions of the slide show available. THEY ARE LARGE FILES and should only be downloaded by visitors who have a broadband connection, file sizes are in the 15 megabyte region and will take 40 or more minutes if you only have a slow dial-up line. The "zipped" version will run full screen (maximise your browser window) if you so choose. The web show version is a little smaller and will run in its own pop-up window. Note that you must "unzip" this file after you have downloaded it. Use Winzip or a similar utility, Microsoft Outlook will not allow you to open a downloaded .EXE file so we had to "ZIP" it.

Also please note: when you get a warning about "blocked content" click on the "Allow Blocked content" entry in your browser (Internet Explorer for most of you).

Happiness Knows No Boundaries

Do you remember the story of Jasmine, the brave little Mum cat recently rescued by the Animal Care Society? If not, click here and after reading come back to this page and see the happiest ending of all.

While Jasmine was recovering from her ordeal and undergoing daily veterinary treatment (which lasted for 3 weeks!) the search for her new home went into full gear. After what she had been thru, we wanted that elusive one in a million home, just like we found for Harry (Read Harry's story here). But those homes are rare, ultra rare. We always search for the best possible homes for all of our rescues but in this case we wanted a dream home. Well, sometimes the Gods and Fate intervene and that is what happened for Jasmine. A young English couple, Charlie and Steve read Jasmine's story on our website and decided that she was the cat for them. They had not so long ago adopted another Irish rescue kitten from us and thus we knew that no better home could ever be found. Charlie and Steve are cat lovers and any cat which is adopted by them has a shortcut to paradise. And so it was that Aer Arran RE 453, Cork to Southampton, carried one extra passenger, a small cat, the bravest little cat we ever saw. Even during the 3 weeks of recovery at the vets and the pain she must have been in, she never raised a paw or a claw against the nurse and vet who cared for her. She was met at Southampton Airport by Charlie and Steve and within minutes Jasmine was on the way to her new home.

Fate decided that Jasmine had suffered enough and now her courage and bravery was to be rewarded. To Sara, who saved her, we say: we owe you a life. To Jasmine's new parents we simply say Thank You, you made our dream come true. To Tom and Leslie, who for 3 weeks treated her like their own child and nursed her back to health, we pay tribute. To Aer Arann, who's enlightened policy allowed Jasmine to fly over we say, we are in your debt. Jasmine, we will miss you, you were the bravest and kindest cat we have ever known.

Jasmine's Story

This is the story of Jasmine. She is one of thousands who walk our streets at night in search of food and shelter for herself and her babies. Overlooked by people as she is seen as a pest and not worthy of any compassion or care. It is presumed that because she is a cat she can fend for herself. One of our volunteers was called to Mallow recently to deal with stray cats in the area. They were not wanted and were proving to be a burden. It is our policy that we neuter and spay as many cats as possible in a desperate effort to reduce the number of unwanted kittens being born everyday. It was a routine day for Sara our volunteer, she put out the food and set the traps. She managed to catch them all and was just about to leave when in the distance she saw something stagger towards her. It was Jasmine. She was so weak from hunger she was barely able to walk, she could smell the food so gathered all her strength to take the few small steps toward it. Sara was concerned at what she saw and immediately went to Jasmine. She was able to pick her up and was horrified at what she saw. Jasmine's stomach was wide open; she had a huge gaping wound. Jasmine was dying in agony. She had recently given birth to three kittens. Sara rushed Jasmine and her babies to a nearby vet who performed emergency surgery on her. The vet told us that Jasmine was in severe pain and had developed a bad case of mastitis and because it wasn't treated had simply eaten away at her stomach. Despite all this Jasmine still fed her babies as best she could. The pain of them sucking on her teats must have been unbearable. She has stainless steel staples and sutures running the length of her frail abdomen, but she is warm and safe and does not have to worry how she will get her next meal.

This is jasmine's story. Now ask yourself this. Do cats still not need our help? Should we leave them to fend for themselves? Should we close our eyes the next time we see a cat in our garden looking for food? Should we keep walking if we see a mother cat and her babies? After all they are cats so they can fend for themselves?

Please help us to stop this cycle of senseless suffering. Cats are living animals, they are Gods creatures just as much as you and I are. They feel pain and hunger the same as us, each and every one of us. They struggle every day to provide for themselves and their babies. Before you turn your back, remember this: In the time it will take YOU to eat your lunch 21 kittens will die. Twenty One.

Our message is simple, SPAY and NEUTER. Show them the compassion that they deserve and help us to help them. We need your help. Jasmine needs your help. Perhaps your are not a cat lover. Perhaps you are not a dog lover or an animal lover. But you are a human and you would not be reading this if you did not care. Please donate to her bills and the thousands of Jasmine's out there. She is not alone. YOU can make a difference, even 1 single Euro will help. We live by our motto: Their Lives...Our Passion. Do you have the courage to join us?

The Never Ending Story!!

This little pup was handed in to the vets by a concerned passer-by who saved him from being thrown like a football between a group of children.

Welcome to the Celtic Tiger, the land of the "rich, educated, indulged selfish and callous" Irish. This misfortunate dog is covered with sores and scabs and what little hair he has left of his body is dirty and unkempt. When you lift him up you can feel every one of his tiny ribs. He is eight weeks old and already has suffered more pain and misery than we can imagine. Born into this world just eight weeks ago, surplus to requirements and seen as merely an object. He does not know what it is to receive love and kindness. His eyes reflect fear and sadness which is all he has know up to now in his short life. He is now curled up in a nice warm bed, totally exhausted. He will have a long road to recovery and it will be a long time before he will play and run like a puppy should.

To everyone who reads this please ask yourself what can be done to eliminate this treatment of animals which is a daily occurrence in this country. Politicians will be knocking on all our doors over the next few weeks, please mention the appalling state of animal welfare as one of the many issues that concern you. This pup cannot speak for himself he is depending on you to raise your voice on his behalf. The time has come to put an end to this cruelty.

STOP PRESS! This little boys life will never be the same again. The same lady who adopted Harry (see his story further down the page) has offered to take this little puppy. Any animal going to Sue will have a dream home. THANK YOU Sue.

My Name Is Easter

Today was a good day. A good day for me that was. Why? Simple, I was left in a remote field to die. I wasn't wanted. You've all heard of the unwanted Christmas puppies? Well, I'm an unwanted Easter puppy. I did not ask to be born. My mum was never spayed so my brothers and sisters came into this world. Unloved, unwanted, unneeded, you humans have a phrase for it "Surplus to Requirements". I miss my Mum, I miss my brothers and sisters. I'm afraid, I am alone, I whine softly. What will happen now to me? But a miracle happened.

The man from the Animal Care Society came and took me into his heart, his home and his soul. He fed me and held me and told me that he would protect me, with his own life if need be. But why me? What happened to my brothers and sisters? Where are they? Dying slowly in another field, with hunger pains tearing them apart? Held down in a bucket of water, till they could hold their breath no more? Did they upset your lives so much that this was their reward? Why did I not die? The ACS man thinks I'm only 5 weeks old. 5 weeks, no more, he says my eyes are still blue. He spoke little but his eyes told me what I needed to know.

Compassion, love, and the cast iron will to ensure that I would have a future, that is what I read in his eyes. He fed me with finely minced chicken and gave me Welpi to drink. I'm in a warm bed, with a hot water bottle and a teddy bear.

Why did he do this for me? He smiles at me and in his eyes I read the answer: He Cares. For he and his friends embody this: My Life...Their Passion.

STOP PRESS! Puppy Easter, now called Mac has found his dream home. A lovely UK couple has taken him into their Home and their Heart.

Left On The Lawn

Look at these photo's and tell me that you do not care. 5 baby kittens, estimated no more than 1 day old, were left on the lawn outside a nursing home. Left in the baking sun, dying rapidly. A kind nurse found them and gave them milk and called us for help. By the time we got them, 2 had passed away, three are still alive while I write this. The three survivors are now with a highly experienced ACS fosterer who is moving heaven and earth to keep them alive. Not an easy task by any means, the care they require is enormous and Anne, our fosterer, has her hands full!

It is no accident that we are called the Cork Animal Care Society. Neither is it an accident that we have as our motto: Their Lives...Our Passion. Rest your eyes on these photo's and rejoice with us, 3 tiny lives, now safe, warm and fed every two hours around the clock. Yes. We are proud, for we truly do CARE.

Born to die?

NO, but only because we (The ACS) exist. Intrigued? Read on.
As many of our regular visitors know, the cat problem in Ireland is totally out of control. Nobody knows exactly how many cats there are in this country, estimates vary from the hundreds of thousands well into the millions. Yes, there are pampered mogies around, loved and cared for by their owners, but for each and every one of them are thousands of starving felines, trying all they can to stay alive. Based on the best available data we have it is estimated that in the time it takes you to eat your lunch 21 kittens will die. See www.anvilireland.ie.

But for the Mums and kittens you see here life holds a promise. A promise of a better future, a loving home and all the care they will ever want. Why? Well, these photo's were taken in Paradise. Paradise??? Yes, see our story "A Look At Paradise" in our News and Events page. Two of these litters were born in our sanctuary, the first to be ever born there since we opened, the third Mum and her litter were taken there. Our sanctuary manager caught the Mum and removed the one day old kittens from a water bucket! in which Mum had decided to give birth. That bucket was precariously balanced on a 5 foot wall, right next to the main Cork to Dublin railway line! Their life would have been short indeed had not Fate decided that they were not to die.

Share with us the Joy we feel, for yet again, the Animal Care Society showed that it truly cares. They say a picture speaks a thousand words, well, these pictures say it all.

Harry

Harry

This is the face of Cork today. A county that is thriving, the houses are getting bigger the people richer and this is what is happening to our animals. Look at these photos and ask yourself if you thought it was possible for this cruelty to continue in 2007. We as humans should hang our heads in shame. It is through human neglect and general lack of concern that this is allowed to happen.

This is Harry he is 5 month old Staffordshire cross. He was brought in to the vets by a member of the public who found him collapsed outside his house. Suffering from extreme malnutrition and exhaustion he could not stand or even lift his head. His small skeletal body is covered in scabs and open sores causing him to be in excruciating pain. In the five months that Harry has been on this earth he has not seen one ounce of human compassion has not had one good meal or slept a night in a warm bed. For Harry Cork is not a good place to be. His eyes are filled with sadness and fear, poor Harry has given up on life, to him people are something to fear and life is simply a battle not worth fighting anymore.

We appeal to the public to stop this senseless cruelty, make Cork a county we can be proud of, one where we love and respect our animals. Harry is in the vets now; he is receiving the best care possible and hopefully will be able to go to a foster home soon. We can treat Harry's physical injuries but it will be a long time before Harry will learn to trust a human. It will be a long road to recovery but we will do everything in our power to help him. Please keep Harry in your prayers.

Harry's vet bills are going to be huge so we are appealing to the public for donations toward his treatment. Please click on the Donate Online icon, or donate via our Online Shop which takes Visa and Master Card donations. We will keep you updated on Harry's progress.

Update:
Harry is making good progress in his foster home. He has put on weight and his sores are starting to heal. It will still be a long time before Harry has recovered emotionally, his confidence is still very low and he is still deciding whether us humans can be trusted or not. When Harry is well enough to travel he has been offered a wonderful home by a very kind lady in the UK called Sue who has been a long term supporter of the ACS. She was so moved by the story of Harry that she organised a collection for his vets bills among her friends and also sent a parcel of gifts for Harry to his foster home.

Harry will never again know what it is to be hungry, frightened and abused; he will enjoy the rest of his life in a home where he will be loved and cared for until the end of his days. Thank you to everyone who enquired and helped Harry and of course a special thanks to his new owner Sue.

These are the latest photos of Harry, as you can see he is looking very handsome now, his confidence is growing gradually and it won't be long now before he is on the way to his new loving home in the UK. All at the ACS and Harry himself would like to thank people for the kindness and generosity they have shown. Harry especially wishes to thank Sara who took him in and for whom nothing was to much to help him get back on his feet. We hope that we can count on your support in the future, you helped us make Harry's dream come true.

Update:
Harry is doing really well. He has fallen in love with his girls (My dogs Molly my lurcher Beryl a Spanish Galgo and Poppy my 18 month whippet) Though them he has gained confidence . He has come on in leaps and bounds. Harry is still timid around people but he is loads better since he arrived. His true character is coming out. He really a wonderful little dog. Very loving and affectionate, In fact he finally worked out that if he ran up the stairs fast enough he could propel himself onto our bed. Something that has so far eluded him as his legs are very short! He then proceeded to lie next to me on my pillow, put his paws around my neck and started to kiss my ears and hair. What more could a girl want! He loves his walks out in front of his girls so much more confident now. Its hard to imagine its not even 2 months since he was found close to death in Cork. Thank you ACS for saving Harry's life. He will have the best life ever, a life of love and fun,what more could a dog ask for. Sue, Harry's new Mum.

Editors note: If you are ever told that there is no such a thing as going from rags to riches: STOP and re-read Harry's story. If ever living proof was needed, you just looked at it.

Toby

Toby

My husband and I were mourning the loss of our dog, Suzy whom we'd shared our lives with for 14 years. We then took a break in France and met up with a couple who ran a camp site - they owned a dog called Toby who was very friendly and attached himself to us and our caravan! We were quite sad to say goodbye and this re-started up the dilemma - could/should we give a home to another dog, but aware that with our working arrangements this wouldn't be very fair to the dog.

However, luckily for us, fate stepped in! A few months later, I happened to be looking through the small ads and notices on the council's system, and up came a "Wanted - Home for Toby"! But this Toby was a cat, smoky grey in colour and mature in his years. We'd had a few cats before and I realised that here was the answer. I was so excited, rang my husband who agreed we should offer Toby a home. I then spoke to Terri who put me on to Helen who runs a rescue shelter for Cat and Kitten Rescue. I couldn't wait to get there, took a cat basket and met Helen who took me through to meet Toby.

As soon as I was introduced to Toby, we were friends forever, it was as though he was waiting for me! That was 15 months ago and we are all so very happy. Toby settled in straightaway, he is just gorgeous, affectionate, and very sociable with everyone who comes to the house. If we were home all day, he'd love curl up on our laps all day long given the chance! It never ceases to amaze us that Toby shows us such love and gratitude every day and yet demands so little of us. He's a real little gent, even lets me know if he's spilt his cat litter, or if it's a big "please" for more tuna which is his favourite dish of the day! Toby certainly changed our lives for the better.

Ed's note: Toby Daly came from an old farmhouse in West Cork where he had been left after his owner moved out. The ACS took Toby in and together with Helen of Cat and Kitten Rescue found him this wonderful home in the UK with Pam and her husband.

Twiglet

Twiglet

So.. you want to know more and that's why you are here? Ok, I'll tell you and I'd like you tell others. My name? Twiglet, I know a funny name but you can fight that out with my Dad, he called me so. For me, your "Twiggy" on 3 legs, life is good and here's why. I was found with my left front leg severely damaged after one of those things you call a car had run over me. I struggled on as I had nobody to look after me but the leg tried to heal in a frozen angle and I ended up walking on my elbow and when the ACS man saw me it was a mass of raw flesh an blood. Let me tell you, he scooped me up, and within 1 hour! I was at the vet. Because the break had healed so badly there was nothing the vet could do, so they amputated my leg! I ask you, what nerve, they did not even ask me. But with the benefit of Feline hindsight, t'was the best thing ever.

This photo taken 5 months later shows me in my garden and let me tell you, I can outrun the lot of them. So, it goes to prove...3 is better than none. Thank God for the ACS, they were never prepared to consider the PTS option even though that was suggested to save money since it cost 'em a few bob to pay for my op. (No pun intended).

But...seriously.. Please help the ACS, so others like me can get the same help as I did. Yours...Twiggie.

Ella

Ella

We called her Ella, short for Cinderella as we so badly wanted a fairy tale ending for this lovely gentle girl. She was found by one of our volunteers in a remote area of county Cork distressed, hungry and obviously abandoned.

She wore no collar, or tag, she did not have any markings on her ears and was not micro chipped. Unable to locate her owner Ella was fostered by one of our volunteers until we could find a suitable home for her. She was a sweet gentle creature totally undemanding and was quite happy to lie in her basket all day watching the world go by, this lovely greyhound had a wonderful nature which totally belied the myths that abound about these dogs being vicious and difficult. Her favourite time of the day was the evening when her "foster mum" would spend time with her, she loved nothing better than being petted and rubbed. The ACS has various contacts with rescue groups in the UK and one lovely lady called Ruth does fantastic work in finding good home for discarded greyhounds. Once again, luckily for Ella Ruth came up trumps with a super home. Ella is now living in a small village in Somerset in England with a very kind man called Peter. She enjoys all the creature comforts she deserves in a lovely house with a great big garden for romping around. Peter very kindly went to the trouble of ringing Ella's "foster Mum" to assure her how well settled Ella was in her new home and how happy he was to have such a lovely canine companion in his life. So fairytale endings do sometime happen as it did for Ella who found her Prince Charming and will now life happily ever after.

Stories like Ella's are wonderful, they help to lighten the sometimes heavy load for volunteers who often encounter distressing situations of animal abuse which sadly in too many cases do not have a happy ever after ending.

Bundles Of Joy

Bundles & Phoenix
Photo by Marie-Suzanne Altzinger

Conventional wisdom holds it that cats with Feline Aids should be put down. I'm sure that Phoenix and Bundles, pictured here, would not agree.These two beautiful cats prove how very wrong this "conventional wisdom" can be. Both cats have been well and are being cared for by a lovely lady called Aine in Dublin to whom they mean everything. Yes, they both have tested positive for Feline Aids, but because of the excellent care they receive their illness appears to be in remission and has been so for more than a year. They are Aine's pride and joy and are giving her countless hours of joy and happiness. So, when you hear that a cat has Feline Aids and should be put down, remember this story. For Aine, they are indeed "Bundles of Joy".

The Dog that Believes in Santa

Robbie

Just before Christmas last year one of our supporters found a stray dog on a country road in East Cork. The dog who was subsequently called Robbie was a lab cross. He should have been a big fellow but unfortunately due to lack of food & care he was pitifully thin and so hungry that he wolfed down the bowl of food in a few seconds. Robbie was brought to the vets as he appeared to have damaged his leg and also for a check up. The vet reckoned he was about 5 years old and from his condition had been lost and scavenging food for over 6 months. His teeth were completely worn down from eating or trying to eat stones!!!!.

As we don't have a sanctuary we put Robbie in kennels and tried to find him a loving home. Christmas week the family who found him went to visit him in the kennels and their young daughter brought him a present of a big plastic play bone. He took that bone everywhere with him, when he was in the kennel or out exercising, going to the vet or wherever Robbie never left the bone out of his sight. It was as if he had never got anything before in his life and wanted to make sure he would never let it go. A lovely lady in the midlands agreed to take Robbie as her companion and pet. This was great news as everyone so wanted Robbie to end his days knowing love and care. Sadly the lady was taken ill and would not be in a position to look after him. Poor old Robbie it was back to the kennels again, with his plastic bone and waiting for his forever home. Thankfully he did not have long to wait and he was adopted by a lovely family with two children. They said that he is so much part of their family now they cannot imagine life without him, he has of course now lot of toys and his special bone.

Looking after a dog like Robbie, keeping him in kennels, feeding him and vet care is where the contributions to ACS are spent. There are lots of dogs like Robbie all looking for a second chance and the hope of a loving home without the help of our supporters these dogs will end up dying in the most appalling pain and misery.

Barry (The dog so tiny he fitted on a kitchen tile)

Barry

We called him Barry after Barry McGuigan the boxer as this little dog was a fighter from day one. He had to be as he was found thrown over the ditch in a garden by a person who heard him whimpering and crying. He was only about 4 weeks old and could barely take any food or milk. He was rescued by a young girl who looked after him for a number of weeks until he was big enough to find him a home. Even at 10 weeks he was still only the size of a kitchen tile.

His rescuer could not keep this little fellow as her family have already a number of rescued dogs and limited space. Once again the ACS had to take him and try and find a home with a big hearted family for a small little fighter. The good news for Barry is he has found his forever home, he is the smallest member of the family in size but he certainly is the biggest in the amount of love and attention he gets from his new owners.

Surplus To Requirements

Moose

Hello, pleased to meet you. I'm Moose. My story is simple. I was dumped, I think they said that I was "surplus to requirements". It's more likely that "they" didn't want to pay any money on vets bills. You see I'm almost blind, have a few other medical problems and I'm not a spring chicken anymore and I might have to see a vet more often than when I was young. So...they told me not to come back.

Well, I prayed for a kinder being and one of these people answered my prayer. Somebody from an outfit called the ACS. I do not know much about them, but this I do know: They care. The man who came looked into my eyes and told me that my worries were over and he would personally see to that.

He took me to the vet immediately and told him (and this is true, I heard him say it) to not spare any expense and do what it took to help me. I got tears in my eyes. That man did not know me and he had never see me before. I had never loved him, or heard of him. But when I needed it most he came, out of nowhere. He mentioned his name to me but asked me not to tell you so I'll respect that. He is associated with the ACS and simply told me that life would never be the same again. He found me the most wonderful foster mum in the world and that's where I am now. Here I will stay for my last remaining months or even a year?

My Foster mum and the ACS live by their slogan: Their (My) Life, Our Passion. Truer words were never spoken. Yours, Moose.

A Tough Life!

Marmy

Hello, Hello, sorry, too sleepy to open my eyes. That dammed photographer caught me... I had sneaked up on the shelf above the computer where he writes his stories for the ACS, so I could get forty winks. I case you wonder, my name is Marmelady and a Lady I am, Indeed, indeed. But enough about me, I'd better make a move, if my human gets back there will be hell to pay. Oh.. let me leave you with a thought for today: Dogs have owners we cats have servants. (It's the only time I have ever heard a human say something sensible). Take care, I'll write again soon. Marmy.

Baluba's Story

Baluba

Baluba was found near the Lough in Cork, by three students who heard him crying, and fortunately, looked around to see if there were more. There were three little kittens - about 4 weeks old - who had been just left there! They were wet, cold, and very sick. The boys took them home, phoned a vet, and were given our number. They put them in a little box. Fortunately somebody was nearby and able to pick them up almost immediately.

Two of the kittens were very close to death, and were put to sleep by the vet. No. 3, although cold wet dirty and hungry, was bright eyed and lively, and went home to a warm fire and kitten milk. There was every prospect that he wouldn't survive the night, and indeed he was poorly and the kitten formula didn't suit him at all. However when he saw REAL food (crushed kitten nuts in warm water) he waded in and never looked back.

When he got a bit bigger, he would run straight off the edge of the dining room table like a cartoon kitten, drop like a stone to the ground, and immediately climb up the nearest (human) leg to get his dinner. (And yes, he did eat on the dining room table) When he was just ready to be rehomed he contracted ringworm. This is a nuisance of a thing, not dangerous or life threatening, but with treatment, it takes 4/5 weeks to clear up, and can be passed on to other cats or people.

Baluba loved people. He loved the other cats. He would have loved the dogs, but they have no time for cats, so he got wary. In due course his ringworm cleared up, and he went to Mitchelstown to a lovely family who wanted a little cat just like him. There's a small boy in the family and he says, "Mummy he LIKES me". Since then they have got a second little cat, and the two are the best of friends. They live in the country, and play all day with each other and with a happy little boy.

Rescued Dog Becky, finds Happiness with the Daly Byrne's Family, Castlelyons.

The family, minus photographer mum,
in Caherdaniel.

"Becky is very happy with us in Castlelyons and enjoys thoroughly being spoilt rotten by our 2 children, Ned & Kate. She gets plenty of attention and they both love her to bits, as do we. Becky also got a brother to play with last June when we adopted Bruno, a Springer Spaniel. They are great company for each other and hit it off from day one (although Becky does make it clear that SHE is the boss of the two of them)."

Gemma's Story

Gemma

Gemma is a small little female cat who has come to symbolise the work the ACS try to do where we can. Gemma appeared at the door of a house in a small West Cork village and her condition brought tears to the eyes. Neglected, dirty, skin over bone would go someway to describe her. At the house where Gemma appeared they took pity on her and put out some food, which was wolfed down and Gemma asked for more, which she got. Cats were not allowed indoors at that house so she was left to sleep outside or in a shed; come rain and shine. That is until by chance an ACS volunteer heard about her and offered to help.

Gemma was taken to the vets and during the operation to get her spayed it was found she had both Feline Aids and Feline Leukaemia. It almost all cases this would have meant that Gemma would not have been allowed to wake up. But this case was different, the vet was so taken with this little girl that he called the ACS volunteer and together they decided that she was not to die. Both vet and volunteer realised that their hearts had ruled their heads, but sometimes life is that way. From the onset it was decided that Gemma would have to be an only cat and the hunt for a very special home was on. Again Gemma's luck held; a lovely girl from Cork heard about her and decided that Gemma was the cat for her. So one rainy day the original ACS volunteer took Gemma to her new home of Patricia and there she sleeps on the bed with her new mum and dad and has all the love she always wanted. She shows no clinical signs of Aids of Leukaemia and seems to be in remission from both. This is Gemma's story, a story of hope, a story of people who did not accept the inevitable.

The Story of how Zita became Rose

I met Rose in late November 2005 at Rosemary Warren's shelter Saffron Hill in Mallow, Cork, four days after the death of my first and most beloved Greyhound, Daisy. I was there with my mother, preparing to transport three Lurchers from Ireland to America. It was a very cold and wet day and I entered the kitchen area to dry off for a few minutes and wipe the mud from my coat, and I noticed a pile of bones in the armchair. She lay in a heap of angles, with many small scars dotting her body, a laceration on her jaw. She was so weak and ill she could hardly lift her head, and made no protest as I started petting her. I went outside and told my mom that I thought there was someone in the kitchen she would want to meet. She came in to be introduced, took one look at Rose, and said, That's our dog.

Many vet visits and proper feedings later, Rose made the journey to JFK with our friends who came to visit and graciously delivered Rose to us, a happy, secure, friendly-- and naughty!--little fawn Whippet. We're not sure what Rosie's story was before she arrived at Saffron Hill, only that she had suffered a broken rear femur and a dislocated hip at some early stage that never healed properly. She was brought to the shelter after the townspeople noticed her sleeping in doorways of a nearby village. She was emaciated and had to be introduced to food as she had foraged her whole life, and has a food obsession to this day, she will eat anything she possibly can, but prefers books and shoes above all else!

Despite her injuries, she is a rough and tumble puppy, who loves nothing more than to chase and be chased in the local dog park. She has been welcomed with open arms by the Tompkins Square Park Dog Run, and has been living in New York City with me for almost four months now. She is undeniably one of the most popular dogs in the neighborhood, and it often takes us quite a long time to take a brisk walk, as everyone we pass wants to stop and admire her and hear where she came from. She is a dog that can, literally, stop traffic! She was chosen to pose for a photo shoot for the New York Dog Magazine, but, unfortunately, she was too distracted by a taunting squirrel and had to be replaced by an unexcitable daschund. She was also recently invited to participate in a beauty contest for dogs held as a fund-raising event for an animal welfare organization. She didn't win, but we plan to work on mastering a trick that will win the judges over next year!

So that is the story of how Zita became Rose written by her owner Bree Marsden. Without the care she received from the ACS Zita the Whippet would never have become an Irish Rose.

Ruby's Story

Ruby

Tell me that you do not want her. Just try it. Yes, I know, you can't do it, but don't feel bad, neither can I, or for that matter, any human with an ounce of compassion in their heart. Wanna know what happened? Read on.

A few days ago one of our ACS team members got a call, could she help? A kitten was found, in a small cardboard box, dumped on the pavement as rubbish. Yes, as rubbish, you read that right! She was only a few days old and her small life was ebbing away fast. But sometimes Fate intervenes and that's what happened here.

Ruby, as she was called by her foster Mum was not to die. Her fosterer went to the ends of the earth in her determination not to let Ruby die. The full story would take this complete issue of eNews so cannot yet be told. But this I can tell you: You want Ruby... Join the queue... and say: Fat Chance. You've more chance to lay your hands on this weeks winning Lotto ticket than to lay your hands on Ruby. Ruby ain't going nowhere. Why? Very simple: Would you give your child away?

There are many more animals just like Ruby that do need homes if you think you have a heart big enough please see our adopt a pet page.

The Story of River Lee, as told by her rescuers Olivia & Jo

River Lee was rescued by Olivia & Jo

We're Kiwi's that have been residing in London for the last 2 years on a working holiday. We have travelled around a lot but haven't seen much of Ireland so thought we would go to Cork for the weekend. We arrived on Friday the 3rd of March and started checking out the sites of Cork. It was a very busy day so we decided to head back to our hotel which is on the other side of the River Lee.

On Saturday morning we had a lot to do so we wanted to get started, we left the hotel and started walking into the city, as we were crossing the bridge Jo got something in her shoe and had to stop to get it out, as Jo was doing this Olivia noticed a bobbing in the middle of the river, Olivia said to Jo 'Oh my god what's in the river' as Jo was still attending to her show she said 'its probably a duck', as we got closer there was a man who shouted 'there's a cat in the river', the cat was by that stage heading to the side of the river where there was a ladder. We ran to the ladder and started climbing down to her rescue. A couple passing by were very distressed by 2 girls climbing down towards the river, the guy saw a boat passing by and forced them to come over to assist, by this time the cat had jumped onto the first step, as the boat approached there were 2 men in the boat and one had grabbed the cat and passed her to us. The couple gave us some plastic bags and to put her in to keep her warm, and even offered money, which we declined, they were very sweet.

River Lee in the arms of
Pat O'Doherty, assisted by
Claire McCarthy

The day before we had driven past The Animal Care Society, so the first thing we did was rush over there, when we got there, it was closed but there was a number posted on the window, for Gilabbey Vets, we rushed to use the phone, called them and then got a taxi to take us there. On the way there we had to make sure we were keeping her warm and that she was awake, as we wanted to keep her conscious. Once we got there the two lovely veterinarians along with the receptionist were wonderful, they took her, thoroughly checked her over and said they would take her in, free of charge, and would do what they could for her. By this time being girls, we were in tears, hoping that she would survive and be all right. We offered money to Gilabbey Vets for food etc but they declined and said 'Go get yourselves a Guinness; you look like you need one'.

We decided to call her River Lee because that was where we found her. We would have loved to have kept her but due to our visa status unfortunately it's just not possible, however, we are going to sponsor her and hope she finds the loving home she so deserves. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of Gilabbey Vets and Albert from The Animal Care Society for all they have done to care for her.

New Owner Elaine Olivier with River Lee

After several months of recovery at the Kozy Kats cattery, run by Felicity McDonald in West Cork, River finally went to her new home. And what a home, and what a journey to get there! River Lee's new home is in Hampshire, England and she was taken over by one of our ACS members in person on an 18 hour trip. At 6 o'clock that same afternoon Elaine Oliver, who had fallen in love with River Lee, arrived to take her to her new home.

River Lee, from an unwanted and discarded cat has gone on to become a most wanted and loved companion. If they tell you that Rags to Riches stories don't exist, just ask River Lee, she'll soon put you right!

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