Ark Animal Sanctuary

By Lorraine Monfills
    Approximately two years ago, The Ark cleaned up a hoarding situation with cats in Island Falls. We managed to neuter and spay them all and find homes for them. Two of the cats that came from there were tiger cats we named Mabel and Millie. When they were kittens, they fell in a bucket of bleach water, which permanently scarred their eyes, they see just fine but their eyes tear. Because of this people would look at them and pass them by for a cuter or prettier cat. No one ever bothered to look beyond their scars and see the true beauty inside.
    These two cats are two of the sweetest, gentlest cats you will ever meet. They love unconditionally and crave the human touch, Millie is a little shy, but she always follows Mabel’s lead. Mabel and Millie were with us for just about two years when they finally found a chance at having a real home together.
    The pre-adopt was filled out and approved and Mabel and Millie were finally going home. The people that adopted them seemed very nice and their references checked out. We were all so excited that finally they would have the chance at a real life with a real family.
    Sadly things did not work the way they should have. Last month, the family moved to Portland and decided to leave Mabel and Millie with a bag of food on the porch of what used to be their home. They didn’t even try to find them a home. They took the easy way out at the cost of two cats. Mabel and Millie waited patiently. They had no idea that their family would not be returning to care for them. Luckily, the neighbor had more of a conscience than the owners and started putting food out for them. They knew where Mabel and Millie had been adopted from and called us to come and get them.
    Mabel and Millie are safely back at the Ark along with another third cat that the family had – an un-spayed female.
    There are no words to describe how angry I am about the whole ordeal. When you get an animal you accept that responsibility for life. Pets are not disposable. They are living creatures who feel pain, hunger, cold and abandonment.
    I am not sure who I am angrier at, myself or the people who abandoned them. After all I am the one who adopted them to the people.  I trusted the people and actually even liked the couple.
    The first part of Mabel and Millie’s life was absolutely terrible, the middle of their lives didn’t get much better, we are hoping for a happy ending. They deserve a wonderful life with plenty of food, shelter and human touch, a life where they don’t have to worry about being fed and can lounge in the sunlight and just enjoy being alive. Mabel and Millie are waiting patiently for a life like this. Are you ready to open your heart and your home to these wonderful girls?
    For the month of September The Ark took in $2,432 in fundraising and donations. Our expenses were $1,090.78.
    We took in 10 cats and a mother delivered 4 kittens. We adopted six cats and we currently have 53 cats. We took in no dogs adopted one. We currently have one dog. Please join us for a bake sale outside Hollywood Pet Salon on Oct. 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We will also be at Took A Leap Goat Farm on Oct. 20. We hope to see you there. Thank you for your continued support and as always thank you for reading our column.