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Rescued cats need homes
  
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By Pat Hill
In the midst of filth, feces and fright, three women entered a house in Cripple Creek armed with masks, gloves and knee-high boots. By the time the mission that began in late August was complete, Lori Fabry, Tina Langenfeld and Pam Carr had removed 66 cats trapped in the house, some for several years.
“They were dehydrated, emaciated and sick,” Fabry said. “We found unopened bags of cat litter; none of it made sense to us.”
Fabry was told the cats’ owner, Jennifer Cox, who died last month, rented the house on Crystal Avenue.
The cats were domestic, with the exception of three feral ones that were taken to a foster home.
“They’ve got it made in the shade,” Fabry said. “They’re happy, allowed to be the creatures of the planet they are.”
Fabry credits veterinarians David Volz, at The Animal Clinic in Woodland Park, and Shannon Lemons, at Teller Park Veterinary Service, for offering their clinics for the cleanup, grooming, bathing, spaying and neutering. Lemons also found homes for 10 of the cats.
“The amazing thing is that, once the kitties learned they were safe, had food, water, a little box and were going to be held, most of them started to blossom,” Fabry said.
By the third week in October, most had been adopted, leaving 25 that need permanent houses.
“These ‘babies’ are in unheated areas,” Fabry said. “Cat people will go in and rescue cats, but their houses are already full with their own kitties.”
Founder of Jasper’s Legacy Cat Rescue, a nonprofit organization, Fabry had planned to cease the operation after becoming the owner of 19 cats.
“It just got harder to adopt, and then with the economy, my account for the organization lost half its value,” she said. “I just literally had to stop rescuing as of May 1.”
But then came the call from Pam Carr, who with Sindy Anderson, founded the Old Dog House in Florissant, and Fabry was off and running again.
“You have to be able to live with yourself, and I just can’t walk away from this,” Fabry said. “This will sound corny, but if I were in trouble and sick, I would hope that somebody would help me the way we are helping these cats. It’s about taking care of each other. Just because it’s a different species makes no difference. No, it’s not easy but that’s not an excuse.”
In addition to the three women, others who helped care for the cats are: Pam Sharkey, of the Pet Pantry; Anderson; Shannon Hanks, Betsy Little; Nancy Glanzer; and Ted and Linda Dura.
For information about adopting one or more of the cats, or helping with the veterinary bills, call Fabry at 719-687-6421.
“They were dehydrated, emaciated and sick,” Fabry said. “We found unopened bags of cat litter; none of it made sense to us.”
Fabry was told the cats’ owner, Jennifer Cox, who died last month, rented the house on Crystal Avenue.
The cats were domestic, with the exception of three feral ones that were taken to a foster home.
“They’ve got it made in the shade,” Fabry said. “They’re happy, allowed to be the creatures of the planet they are.”
Fabry credits veterinarians David Volz, at The Animal Clinic in Woodland Park, and Shannon Lemons, at Teller Park Veterinary Service, for offering their clinics for the cleanup, grooming, bathing, spaying and neutering. Lemons also found homes for 10 of the cats.
“The amazing thing is that, once the kitties learned they were safe, had food, water, a little box and were going to be held, most of them started to blossom,” Fabry said.
By the third week in October, most had been adopted, leaving 25 that need permanent houses.
“These ‘babies’ are in unheated areas,” Fabry said. “Cat people will go in and rescue cats, but their houses are already full with their own kitties.”
Founder of Jasper’s Legacy Cat Rescue, a nonprofit organization, Fabry had planned to cease the operation after becoming the owner of 19 cats.
“It just got harder to adopt, and then with the economy, my account for the organization lost half its value,” she said. “I just literally had to stop rescuing as of May 1.”
But then came the call from Pam Carr, who with Sindy Anderson, founded the Old Dog House in Florissant, and Fabry was off and running again.
“You have to be able to live with yourself, and I just can’t walk away from this,” Fabry said. “This will sound corny, but if I were in trouble and sick, I would hope that somebody would help me the way we are helping these cats. It’s about taking care of each other. Just because it’s a different species makes no difference. No, it’s not easy but that’s not an excuse.”
In addition to the three women, others who helped care for the cats are: Pam Sharkey, of the Pet Pantry; Anderson; Shannon Hanks, Betsy Little; Nancy Glanzer; and Ted and Linda Dura.
For information about adopting one or more of the cats, or helping with the veterinary bills, call Fabry at 719-687-6421.
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