Friday, April 2, 2010

Stanley in WI--Fly Free Baby

Information about Stanley never made it to the DCIN Yahoo Group or to the Diabetic Cat Care message board. Everything went so fast, and so south. On Tuesday, Phoebe got a call from her vet. Someone had scheduled euthanasia for a recently diagnosed diabetic cat. The owner made an appt for PTS on Thursday morning. Phoebe posted the information on the FDMB. Phoebe and her husband Charlie tried to help, and Hope got involved as she too knew the vet. Apparently the owner was squeamish about injections -- not necessarily a financial problem of being able to afford treatment. Phoebe offered support in that regard, as well as sharing insulin and supplies. Charlie offered, if the cat was surrendered, to go to the vet clinic every day to test BG, feed and inject to reduce the boarding fee. FDMB members expressed significant concern, understandably, and they even started a petition to send to Stanley's owner. Dale offered Stanley a home, writing him this note:
Dear Stanley, I have heard that your owner is making a breath-taking decision for you today. I wish your owner would change his mind and let you come to live with me and the other diabetic kitties that share my home. There's Zena from Oklahoma, Charles from Missouri, Kelly from Pennsylvania, and Max who came from Illinois. Their owners chose "life" for them and they are very happy here. They get to sleep all day on the sofas or beds or cat trees. They get to go outside on the screened-in porch or in the penned area in the yard to lay in the grass and sun themselves. They'd love to have you share in their lifestyle and in their treatment for diabetes. I'm praying your owner will hear my plea and let you come to live with me. I pray he'll allow me to share your beauty, love, silly little quirks and know that I will love you and care for you and do so with a joyous heart. My home will be your forever home. You will never need to worry about leaving me. Stanley, I pray I get to meet you.
These efforts came to nothing. The vet's office would not accept the adoption offer and petition by Fax, and Stanley was euthanized on Thursday. We don't even know whether the vet told Stanley's owner there was a new home. In some cases, feline diabetes is a death sentence. In Stanley's GA notice on the FDMB, Dale wrote
Well, it was not to be for Stanley. But Angels were with Stanley during his passing. I know they were; I asked God to send them to him. And they carried the care, concern, and love that the fdmb folks had for him. While my prayers for sparing his life were not answered the way I wanted them, this incident has possibly fulfilled a greater mission for others to learn from. I'm saddened today and the tears still flow, but I have faith that tomorrow will bring great blessings for our little animal friends... He did not leave this world unloved. Bless his little soul...
Dale even sent that message to me in an e-card. Fly free, Stanley. We love you!!

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