Rescue Tail / 3 years and 3,000 miles

By Tara McFarland

No time limit. I find myself using these three words quite often when answering questions about our organization. For the general public, it probably isn’t a combination of words you’d use in your everyday life. For us, it’s more than the words themselves, but rather the description of the life for many of our shelter animals that are awaiting their forever homes. As a no time limit shelter, healthy, friendly, adoptable animals remain in our care for however long it takes to find their furrever family. It is our hope for every animal that their stay is short and sweet. Each animal has a person out there, and it’s up to our adoption counselors to pair interested adopters with the right animal for their home, family and lifestyle. Until their adoption day our loving staff and volunteers care for them everyday, every holiday, day in and day out until their bittersweet adoption day, no matter how long it takes.

Tanya was a shy cat who didn’t actively seek out attention. At our Marathon Campus all of our adoptable cats free-roam in a large indoor/outdoor “Catio.” At any given time there are 40-50 wonderful cats calling this space their temporary home. Our cats are every age, color, size and each cat is an individual with its own personality and temperament. Some come right to do the door to greet every person, familiar or new. Some cats choose to lounge, some play, some meow, some nap through each encounter. Our adopters are individuals as well, each one searching for a companion that may be playful, or lazy, young, or older. With so many wonderful cats, matches are made and our cats are adopted into loving families of their own. Perhaps it was Tanya’s shy demeanor that left her overlooked for so long.

For three-and-a-half years, Tanya waited patiently for her home. Through the years she was also a contented cat, happy to have her space in the Catio, interact with our staff and volunteers, and watch the other cats come and go. We shared her photo and story time and time again, yet somehow the adoption applications never came in. In March we tried again, pleading with our friends across the internet to help us find her family. As quarantine began, and people were finding themselves home and often alone, the flipside to the global pandemic was the influx of people with a sudden and unprecedented amount of time being spent at home opened the doors to fostering an animal from local shelters. So when Madeline reached out to us, wanting to open her home and heart to a cat who needed a person the most, we chose Tanya to be her companion.

For a first-time foster, Madeline was excited that she could offer to Tanya something this lovely cat had not experienced in so many years, which was quite simply a home. For four months Tanya lived with Madeline and blossomed into the most affectionate cat, always close to Madeline. When it came time for Madeline to make the long journey back to California, she knew this time she wouldn’t be making the trip alone. 1,270 days later Tanya was officially adopted. Tanya, now Bella, one of our longest cat residents, is now living out the rest of her life with Madeline. She sent us this wonderful update:

“I could not part with Bella so she is making the 3,770 mile trip by car to California. She is an excellent traveler! She is very well adjusted to traveling and says hi to you. Thank you for my new friend.”

Once at the ranch, we received this wonderful news:”One week home on the

ranch and Bella is completely at ease with her sibling kitties here. There is room and doors enough for all of us to live together. Bella is very friendly with the family but chooses to sleep with me at night. It could not be better. Even my parrots, the goats, alpacas and dogs cause her no worries. She is home and feeling good about life.”

We couldn’t be happier for Madeline and Bella. Each adoption is special, but when one of our long-time residents finds a home, it’s cause for celebration! For the entire month of August, we’re “Clearing the Shelters” and waiving adoption fees on all of our adoptable pets at both our Key West and Marathon Campus. If you’re considering bringing an animal into your home and heart visit us online at fkspca.org/adopt and view all the wonderful animals we have at our Campuses waiting for someone like you! For more information on Clear the Shelters, or adopting a pet, call us in Key West at 305-294-4857 or 305-743-4800 in Marathon. Thank you!