Changing Hearts and Minds: Revisiting
-Helen Morrison, President, Board of Directors
“Imagine, if you will, that you are in charge of intake for an animal shelter. You get a call from a concerned citizen and you agree to take in a stray kitty.
First, it goes to the vet to be checked out. It appears to be a healthy cat and is very friendly, just the kind of cat a shelter loves to get. It should be easy to find a new, loving, and safe home. But at the vet, the kitty tests positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus).
Even up to five years ago, your heart would sink. FIV positive cats were euthanized automatically, even if they were healthy and very well socialized. Luckily, attitudes are changing for FIV and our approach to FIV+ cats is much more positive and hopeful. It is heartening to watch attitudes change, to watch unfounded fears fade away.”
In the years since I wrote that, Kingdom Animal Shelter has taken in many FIV+ cats over the years, providing them loving care and helping them find their forever homes. At first, we needed to find a Shelter that would take FIV cats. At a Shelter conference in Stowe, I met the director of Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society in Salisbury, Mass. and she told me that they happily take FIV+ cats and find them forever homes. So, for a few years, we would drive any FIV cats down there for adoptions. It was a great partnership. Then, we began to keep them in St. Johnsbury and adopted them out from foster care. Nancy Pellegrino had one, Lincoln, at her house and he found his forever home from there. And then, learning that the risk was very low, we began taking them into the Shelter. I would say that, in the years since KAS began to accept FIV cats, we have found homes for 20 or more wonderful FIV+ cats.
-Helen Morrison, President, Board of Directors
“Imagine, if you will, that you are in charge of intake for an animal shelter. You get a call from a concerned citizen and you agree to take in a stray kitty.
First, it goes to the vet to be checked out. It appears to be a healthy cat and is very friendly, just the kind of cat a shelter loves to get. It should be easy to find a new, loving, and safe home. But at the vet, the kitty tests positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus).
Even up to five years ago, your heart would sink. FIV positive cats were euthanized automatically, even if they were healthy and very well socialized. Luckily, attitudes are changing for FIV and our approach to FIV+ cats is much more positive and hopeful. It is heartening to watch attitudes change, to watch unfounded fears fade away.”
In the years since I wrote that, Kingdom Animal Shelter has taken in many FIV+ cats over the years, providing them loving care and helping them find their forever homes. At first, we needed to find a Shelter that would take FIV cats. At a Shelter conference in Stowe, I met the director of Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society in Salisbury, Mass. and she told me that they happily take FIV+ cats and find them forever homes. So, for a few years, we would drive any FIV cats down there for adoptions. It was a great partnership. Then, we began to keep them in St. Johnsbury and adopted them out from foster care. Nancy Pellegrino had one, Lincoln, at her house and he found his forever home from there. And then, learning that the risk was very low, we began taking them into the Shelter. I would say that, in the years since KAS began to accept FIV cats, we have found homes for 20 or more wonderful FIV+ cats.
Dominic
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Galway
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I have two in my house, among my non-FIV cats. As long as no one gets into heavy- duty, deep bite altercations, all is fine. They can groom each other, play fight, eat out of the same bowls. Here is Dominic, one of my FIV+ boys. We recently adopted an FIV boy, Galway, to one of our volunteers. His new family absolutely loves him.
And that brings us to Henri, who is with our feline family at the Shelter. He is absolutely delightful…and has the most wonderful swagger. Some have nicknamed him “Cowboy”. View a video of Cowboy showing off his charms on Facebook here, and a video of Henri stalking his favorite mouse toy here.
For your visual pleasure, here is a very cute series of photos taken by Christine Fournier: “Henri meets Mr. Zucchini”
He is friendly, cuddly, playful, mischievous. He probably should be an only cat…just because he is such a big personality. With good vet care and a loving home, Henri will live a long and healthy life.
“We love you Henri! We are here for you as long as you need…but hopefully your forever person will fall in love and meet you soon!” (Christine Fournier, volunteer).