Orla, a 14-week-old kitten, survived a fire but lost her leg. The Picasso Veterinary Fund paid for her surgery. Today, she is enjoying life with her new adoptive family.
NYC Firefighters Rescue Cats…Picasso Veterinary Fund Saves Their Lives
Picasso Veterinary Fund in Action! (December 2010)
When an electrical fire engulfed the home of a Brooklyn family that late autumn evening, local firefighters shattered windows and took other extraordinary measures to save the lives of everyone inside — adults, children, and family pets. Despite minor injuries, all of the human family members were brought to safety. Then two large cats and two small black kittens appeared in a window on the second floor. Without missing a beat, the brave firefighters pried open the window and the four frightened felines jumped for their lives. Sadly, one cat and a dog weren't able to escape, and perished in the fire.
Now on the ground, the cats' owner rushed to help them. All four cats suffered smoke inhalation, but one of the little black kittens also appeared to have a crushed back leg. Despite the chaos, the owner made a quick decision and got the cats into the car where they would be safe. Now he needed to attend to his wife and children, and accompany them to the hospital.
Orla's two-year-old mother Midnight survived the fire and is now looking for a new foster or adoptive home..
American Red Cross workers on the scene to assist the family right away recognized that the animals needed help, too. As one of our partners on the Animal Planning Task Force of the New York City Office of Emergency Management, they knew to contact us for assistance. We immediately transported the cats to NYC Veterinary Specialists in Brooklyn, a 24/7 emergency hospital that is one of our Picasso Veterinary Fund veterinary partners. Hospital staff quickly assessed each cat's condition and began administering oxygen for each one until they could breathe on their own.
Thorough examinations revealed that three of the cats suffered no further trauma, and so we transported them to Murrary Hill Pet Hospital, another Picasso partner facility. Orla, however, the small black kitten, suffered a serious fracture in her back leg. It appeared that her injury was made worse when her leg was physically stuck before she was able to break free and jump from the burning house. After careful examination, the hospital's medical team recognized that the leg was too badly damaged to save, and so they removed it.
Meanwhile, all the human family members were released from the hospital. But having lost their home, and without any way to care for their cats, they agreed to let the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals find safe new homes for the cats. As a result, the cats never had to make the trip to an Animal Care & Control of NYC shelter.
Nine-year-old male cat Chaz has also recovered from smoke inhalation and is ready to be fostered or adopted.
Orla has recovered from her surgery and is adapting well to her new life on three legs, in a loving new home. Chum Chum, the other kitten, also has been adopted. The two adult cats, Midnight and Chaz, are safely recovering from their trauma, and are being cared for at Murray Hill Pet Hospital until permanent or foster homes for them can be found. If you'd like to foster or adopt one of these sweet survivors, please contact us at picasso@AnimalAllianceNYC.org.
While the Mayor's Alliance can't help in every crisis situation, we were moved by the determination of these cats to live. Their story is special, and the Picasso Veterinary Fund exists to help special cats and dogs who have become homeless and who need medical care to get back in the running for a permanent home.
During this season of giving, we hope you'll share a gift of love to help us continue to be there for animals like Orla and her fellow survivors. While we mourn the loss of the dog and cat who perished in the fire, we're grateful that we were able to help the surviving family pets. Perhaps you'd like to make a generous tax-deductible donation to the Picasso Veterinary Fund to help pay for their medical care. Or sign up to make regular monthly donations in the new year to help us continue to save lives throughout the months ahead.
Another way you can help is to offer a homeless animal the gift of a new home. You can meet some of our Picasso cats and dogs available for adoption on our Petfinder page. And come meet some of our Picasso cats awaiting new homes at Whiskers In Wonderland, a huge holiday cat and bunny adoption event, presented by the Mayor's Alliance and Best Friends Animal Society, at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street, Manhattan. Join us on Saturday and Sunday, December 18 and 19.
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