Things can get a little hairy at an animal shelter. Like earlier this month when the veterinary hospital staff pulled out the clippers for a cat with fur so matted he couldn't move.
The cat came to the Georgian Triangle Humane Society's (GTHS) animal hospital from a Good Samaritan who spotted the animal near a road, unable to stand.
An X-ray and exam revealed no broken bones, but identified the severely matted fur and puncture wound as the dangerous reasons the cat couldn't walk.
More than two hours with the cat under anesthesia and some recovery time left the cat walking and stylish enough for a catwalk on a Fashion Week runway.
The cat was dubbed Mr. Business for his keenly focused attitude and will to survive (and also there's a Bob's Burgers fan in the shelter somewhere).
Mr. Business is an orange, long-haired cat that looks a little like he just woke up from a very long nap. He leans into head scratches and box corners and sits quietly between pats with his tail – thin like a lion's with a fluffy flair at the end – wrapped around his front paws.
He's one year old, has been given a clean bill of health, and awaits adoption from his perch in the GTHS cat room.
Kristin Holmes, the GTHS marketing and public relations manager, said cats like Mr. Business are a good reminder of the work the GTHS is doing in the community and why it's important to support those efforts.
The annual Walk for Pets fundraiser is coming up on June 15 at Harbourview Park, and Holmes is encouraging area residents to join the event in support of the animal shelter and hospital.
"Without events like Walk for Pets, we wouldn't have a hospital where pets like this can come and we wouldn't have a vet to care for these pets," said Holmes.
The annual event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Harbourview Park and includes a new 5K timed fun run this year, as well as the traditional 2.5 km walk. The Collingwood Brewery will be hosting a beer garden and Strange Potatoes will be providing live music entertainment.
The Walk for Pets event helps raise funds to support all the GTHS services, which include the hospital where 3,000 spay-neuter surgeries are performed annually.
The GTHS access to care services include several options for temporary assistance to help keep pets and people together, from emergency boarding, a food pantry, assistance for medical emergencies and more.
There are also lifelong learning programs that have impacted more than 4,000 youth with after-school and online programs designed to teach kids about taking care of pets.
And the GTHS is still an animal shelter and adoption connection, helping 1,300 animals find homes each year.
"We are asking the community to join us in making a difference and to register today for Walk for Pets," said Holmes.
To register, visit gths.ca/walk-for-pets/.
