Vote for Me and Help Blind Cat Rescue!

I has a favor to ask my Catster furriends!
I am entered in the Bissell MVP (Most Valuable Pet) contest. If I get enough votes this week, I can go to the finals where the grand prize is $10,000. for my favorite pet charity. Mine is, of course, Blind Cat Rescue of NC, cause I'm about 90% blind myself and I got rescued thanks to this wonderful organization. www.blindcatrescue.com

Won't you stop by today through Jan 18 and vote for me? I'll purr my thanks so loudly that you'll hear me no matter where you lives!!

Here's the votin' place:

http://bissell.promo.eprize.com/mvpcontest/gallery ?id=1196

Zillions of Thankful Purrs,
Stevie

Blind Cats CAN See a Future!

My Meowmy asked me to write a diary entry today for a very special cause!

I have one brofur who is blind and one sisfur who is visually impaired. My angel sisfur, Scarlett, was blind while she was on Earth.

My eyes didn't form correctly and I'm almost 100 percent blind. I have one tiny spot where I can see.

Did you know that even 'no-kill' shelters sometimes euthanize blind cats because they are considered 'unadoptable'? I would have been one of these cats. I was at a kill shelter and had no hope of adoption.
Did you realize that a blind, black blind cat - like our Bones and Charcoal - stands virtually no hope of adoption?
That cats can become blind due to birth defects, trauma, untreated disease, and yes, even human cruelty?

BUT...
Did you also know that blind cats love to climb??
That they love to play with cat toys??
That they run and jump and enjoy life JUST LIKE OTHER CATS?

AND...
Did you know that there's a very special place for blind cats? A place where they are treated with love, respect, and care? It's TRUE!

This heaven-on-earth for blind cats is Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary of North Carolina, featured in the June, 2010 issue of Cat Fancy. www.blindcatrescue.com
BCR is the dream and life's work of a very special woman, and the Sanctuary depends on the sponsorships of the cats and donations from caring people around the world.

But YOU can help BCR today and everyday in the Shelter Challenge at The Animal Rescue Site! It's FREE and EASY and it can truly make a difference.
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces? siteId=3

Bones, Scarlett, Charcoal, and I are some of the lucky ones. We found a loving, caring home, thanks to messages sent to my Meowmy from BCR! Other kitties need the resources only a Rescue can provide.

Won't you help by voting today and every day during the contest for Blind Cat Rescue of NC? (Don't forget to confirm your vote by identifying the animal photo shown after you vote!)

All the blind kitties will purr in gratitude!!

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGiv e/home.faces?siteId=3

A Step Forward for Eve!!

So many of you have supported Meowmy, Mama Terry and their friends' quest to find Justice for Eve, the sweet kitten who died shortly after being adopted from Okefenokee Humane Society in Waycross, GA. You can read all about Eve on her Catster page:
http://www.catster.com/cats/1086369

I asked Meowmy to update you on a positive development!! A man from the GA Department of Agriculture answered Meowmy's (third) email to that office! He asked for Eve's medical records, saying they were necessary for an inquiry to proceed. Of course, Meowmy sent them right away. So it looks like someone has noticed us!! PURRRRRR!!!

This may take time. (Has the government ever moved quickly??) We promise to keep you updated when we have news.

For all who care about Eve, please take a moment and sign her petition, if you haven't already. It's never to late to take a stand for all the animals still at Okefenokee HS. Thank you for caring so much!!!!

Eve's Petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/166/justice-for-eve

Justice for Eve & For Muppet & FLOCK

Today I'm writing for our ever-growing cat family! We learned that we will be getting a new brofur!! He's blind like ME! His name is Bones, and he's coming from a high-kill shelter in SC. I was in a high kill shelter, too, and trust me, they are NO FUN! Some wonderful furriends and CCLs - like Meowmy - are going to rescue Bones then transport him to us!! We sure love blind cats in our house!

It snowed today but Meowmy says there are a few stars peeking through the clouds. She says if I make a wish, it might come true. I'm going to make TWO wishes! And YOU can help them come true!!!

Wish #1:
Many of you have read the heartbreaking story of my sisfur Eve. I never got to meet Eve, due to the neglect she suffered at Okefenokee Humane Society in Waycross, GA (Ware Co.) Meowmy and Eve's to-be adoptive Mommy Terry, along with their friends, are asking everyone to write snail mails or emails to the folks on the list below. Be polite but ask for an investigation into the conditions at OHS. So far, we have had only one noncommittal reply. You can read my back diary entries for that actual letter. If enough of us write and express our concern for the animals still there, surely someone will listen to us. Please help us bring Justice for Eve!!
http://www.catster.com/cats/1086369 (Eve's Page)

http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-a nd-kitten-blog/humane-society-it%e2%80%99s-not-always-a-paws ative-place-part-1/2010/02/16/(Part One of the Catster blog about Eve)

Eve's Petition: You can sign now!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/166/justice-for-eve

People to Write for Justice for Eve: (Email is fine, but sometimes 'snail mail' gets more attention and is harder to ignore. We only have emails for some people.)

Jim Brown. jamesbrown45@bellsouth.net County Commissioner
Chairman
Carlos Nelson carlosnelson@wayxcable.com County Commissioner
Victor Aldridge aldridgefarms@wayxcable.com County Commissioner
Kathy Davis ( not animal friendly) kdavis@wayxcable.com County Commissioner
Gene Dixon phone (912) 285-1319 County Commissioner

The mailing address for those listed above is:
Ware County Board of Commissioners
P.O. Box 1069
Waycross, GA 31502-1069

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Gail Boyd gbarronboyd@warecounty.com County Manager
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No Address for the OHS Board Members but here are the emails:

Deen Strickland cdsatty@accessatc.net O.H.S Board President
Dr. Jim Morton jcmjr@wayxcable.com O.H.S. Vice President
Sirena Cady sirenacady@gmail.com, OHS Treasurer
Susan Winge winges_08@hotmail.com OHS Board Secretary.
Dr. Wes Blount satillanimalhosp@bellsouth.net
OHS Board Member Veterinarian ( Was doing weekly visits)
Darla Moumberg silhouettes@accessatc.net OHS board Member
Millie Hopkins Millie@wayxcable.com Board Member past president
Heidi Flowers. heidif@uga.edu OHS Board Member

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You can also snail mail Dr. Blount at this address.
Dr. KT Blount
Satilla Animal Hospital, Inc.
511 City Blvd.
Waycross, Ga. 31501
Dr. Blount is a vet serving on the OHS Board. He is the only person to respond to Meowmy's emails. His very short, very unhelpful response is in my previous diary entry.
*********************************

Tommy Irvin
GA State Commissioner of Agriculture
Georgia Department of Agriculture
19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Email: tommy.irvin@agr.georgia.gov

The man in charge of all shelters receiving public funds in GA.
*******************************

Mary Green
Division of Animal Protection
Georgia Department of Agriculture
19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Email: AnimalProtection-Administration@agr.state.ga.us

It is her responsibility to oversee all shelters in GA that receive public funds. Her office would be the one to conduct such an investigation of OHS.

Even these state officials, whom Meowmy supports with her taxes, will not respond to her emails or letters. Please join those who BeliEVE in Justice for Eve - and all animals who are abused or neglected!


********************************************
********************************************
Wish #2:

Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight...I wish I may...I wish I might...find justice for my friend Muppet and the FLOCK cats.
http://www.catster.com/cats/624959 - Muppet's page

Muppet is my furriend, and she's a survivor, like me. She was at a huge cat 'rescue' called FLOCK. These cats were left to starve and several hundred did not make it. Muppet was critical but she was so strong and fought so hard to live! And she did! Best Friends Rescue took over and thanks to hard workers like Muppet's wonderful furever mommy and others, the surviving cats had a chance for happy, healthy lives.

Unfortunately, the case against the bad people who ran FLOCK was DISMISSED!!!! I'm going to quote now from Muppet's diary:

"...And on this note, and the main reason for my diary entry, we are asking all of our Catster friends to please write a letter to our District Attorney, Bob Beckett, letting him know how outraged every animal lover is that his office failed to properly see that there was justice for Flock. Although he has filed an appeal, we want Bob Beckett to know just how many eyes are upon him and how he better not let his office mess it up this time! Meomy was told that this case was ‘purposely hidden so the outcome would be a dismissal.’ And in today’s paper it states, “Beckett’s notice of appeal was filed yesterday. Gibson (General Council for FLOCK) said that surprised him because he and Beckett had struck a deal that the case would go no further.” Struck a deal? Humph!!

If everyone who cares about this case could please write a 'snail mail' letter to Bob Beckett, it could really help this case a lot. We need a flood of mail to come in. And thank you to everyone who already have sent letters! *grateful hugs*"

Mr. Robert Beckett
District Attorney, Nye County
1520 E Basin Ave
Pahrump, NV 89060

I'm just a blind cat in GA, saved from death row, but I speak for so many when I beg you to write to DA Beckett and to those with authority over Okefenokee Humane Society. Sadly, neglect and abuse of helpless animals happens every day. Usually there isn't much we can do. Here is the chance for caring, truly HUMANE people like my Meowmy and Muppet's Mommy to join your voices together and take action! Write DA Beckett, please. Write or email those in Ware County who can help the poor animals still at OHS.

You CAN make a real difference! They may ignore a few of us, but they cannot ignore us ALL.

Bless you for caring! Thank you so very much, HQ, for giving us the opportunity to inform Catsters and Dogsters about these heartbreaking cases. We love Catster!!!

Important!!! Contacts for EVE!

We finally got the emails of the board members of the Okefenokee Humane Society!! These are the people who have control over the animals, like Eve, waiting there for forever homes. I'm also posting the county commissioners emails as they control funding for OHS.

Please!! Take a moment and email them, asking for an investigation of the circumstances surrounding Eve's malnutrition, spaying and death. Be polite but firm. Let them know we are also writing the state agriculture department. Eve's death should matter, and we are the ones who can see that it has meaning and importance. Bless you!!!!

Jim Brown. jamesbrown45@bellsouth.net County Commissioner Chairman

Gail Boyd gbarronboyd@warecounty.com County Manager

Carlos Nelson carlosnelson@wayxcable.com County Commissioner

Victor Aldridge aldridgefarms@wayxcable.com County Commissioner

Kathy Davis ( not animal friendly) kdavis@wayxcable.com County Commissioner

Gene Dixon phone (912) 285-1319 County Commissioner

Deen Strickland cdsatty@accessatc.net O.H.S Board President

Dr. Jim Morton jcmjr@wayxcable.com O.H.S. Vice President

Sirena Cady sirenacady@gmail.com, OHS Treasurer

Susan Winge winges_08@hotmail.com OHS Board Secretary.

Dr Tinker & Wes Blounts satillanimalhosp@bellsouth.net OHS Board Member Veterinarian ( Was doing weekly visits)

Darla Moumberg silhouettes@accessatc.net OHS board Member

Millie Hopkins Millie@wayxcable.com Board Member past president

Heidi Flowers. heidif@uga.edu OHS Board Member

Justice for Eve - We Need YOU!!!

The campaign for Justice for Eve, and all the animals still at the Okefenokee Humane Society, is still gaining steam! Since we've receive only one response from all the people we've contacted through email, we've decided to switch tactics. Let's flood the offices with snail mail! (If you haven't yet met Angel Eve, please visit her Catster page:
http://www.catster.com/cats/1086369

You can sign her petition here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/166/justice-for-eve



Here are the two recent Catster blogs about Eve and the Okefenokee Humane Society.

Catster Cats Meow Part#1
http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-and-kit ten-blog/humane-society-it%E2%80%99s-not-always-a-pawsative- place-part-1/2010/02/16/

Catster Cats Meow Part#2
http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-and-kit ten-blog/humane-society-it%E2%80%99s-not-always-a-pawsative- place-part-2/2010/02/17/

Now here's how you can help! Here are the names and addresses where you can make a difference by mailing a letter. Briefly explain Eve's brief life and death. Provide links to the blogs and petition site. Ask for an investigation into conditions at OHS and how Eve became so very malnourished. Ask how she was released for adoption by the director of OHS unable to stand or walk.

1. This page lists all the names of the Ware Co. commissioners. They oversee the Board of Directors for Okefenokee Humane Society. Since we have been unable to find any info about the OHS board, let's try the Commissioners.
Here are all the commissioners' names:
Commissioner Gene Dixon, Chairman Jimmy Brown, Commissioner Carlos Nelson, Commissioner Victor Aldridge.

Their mailing address is:
Ware County Board of Commissioners
P.O. Box 1069
Waycross, GA 31502-1069

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2.

Dr. KT Blount
Satilla Animal Hospital, Inc.
511 City Blvd.
Waycross, Ga. 31501

Dr. Blount is a vet serving on the OHS Board. He is the only person to respond to Meowmy's emails. His very short, very unhelpful response is in our previous diary entry. Please write him and ask for an investigation into conditions at OHS and how Eve became so very malnourished. Ask how she was released for adoption unable to stand or walk.

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3.

Tommy Irvin
GA State Commissioner of Agriculture
Georgia Department of Agriculture
19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

The man in charge of all shelters receiving public funds in GA.

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4.

Mary Green
Division of Animal Protection
Georgia Department of Agriculture
19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

It is her responsibility to oversee all shelters in GA that receive public funds. Her office would be the one to conduct such an investigation of OHS.

Thank you so very much for joining the effort to bring about Justice for Eve!!!

Justice for Eve Update - You Can Help!

Meowmy wanted me to post an update about our sweet Angel Eve. Many of you already know her story but you can read about her on her Catster page. http://www.catster.com/cats/1086369
Eve's story has been the focus of this week's Cat's Meow!
http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-and-kitt en-blog/humane-society-it%E2%80%99s-not-always-a-pawsative-p lace-part-1/2010/02/16/

Meowmy and Mommy Terry, along with friends and supporters of Eve's, have written to the government officials mentioned below. As of today, they have received a total of 0 responses. It seems Eve's mommies and their furriends are being ignored by those in a position to help improve the situation at Okefenokee Humane Society.

In Eve's memory, we are asking any of you who can to contact these people, asking for an inquiry into Eve's case and conditions at OHS. If enough voices are raised, perhaps we will be heard.

Tommy Irvin, GA State Agriculture Commissioner:
tommy.irvin@agr.georgia.gov

Mary Green, Head of Animal Protection at GA Dept.of Agriculture
(Note: The email link is no longer working. Perhaps a FAX or phone call would be even more effective.)
Tele: (404) 656-4914
Fax: (404) 463-8195

Dr. Blount - A vet serving on the Board of Directors of OHS. He has been sent the complete story of Eve, her photo, and a copy of the petition. He has yet to respond either to Terry or me.
satillanimalhosp@bellsouth.net

Gail Boyd, Ware Co. Manager: I wrote her asking for her help in contacting the Board of Directors of the OHS. I explained Eve's story. No response.
gbarronboyd@warecounty.com

Ware County Commission: These people oversee the elusive OHS Board of Directors and deal with their budget. This link has emails and contact information for at least some of the Commission.
http://www.warecounty.com/CommissionBoardMembers.aspx

Justice for a Helpless Kitten

I's writin' today fur my Meowmy 'cause she needs your help.

Some of you know the story of Eve, the little kitten Meowmy adopted from Okefenokee 'Humane' Society in Waycross, GA. Eve was partially blind. That is why I loved her so much, even though I never got to meet her.

Auntie Terry was going to become Eve's forever mommy but little Eve never made it to her forever hom. She was so thin and soon Meowmy found out she COULDN'T WALK!!! They had spayed her just the day before. After three days, several vet visits, and many tears, little Eve lost her fight to live on Jan. 3. You can read all the details in Angel Scarlett's Diary at http://www.catster.com/cats/922090

Eve should not have died. Had she been properly fed, even with underlying problems, she could have been adopted and cared for by Mommy Terry. Please take a moment to sign a petition calling for an inspection and investigation of the Okefenokee 'Humane' Society.

Other cats and dogs are still there, possibly suffering as Eve did. They need your help. Just visit this link:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/166/justice-for-eve


Here is Eve's page, if you'd like to become her friend.
http://www.catster.com/cats/1086369

Love and purrs,
Stevie

My Worst Week...And My BESTEST!!!

Meowmy is helpin' me write this 'cause I doesn't know how to type. I's just a little 4 month old kitten, after all...and I's blind. I's not 'xactly sure what 'blind' means. I thinks I's different from the other cats though. I sometimes bumps into things. Hoomans and cats seems to always know where I's sitting or resting, but I sure doesn't always know where THEY are! Sometimes I sees just a little bit, if I holds my head just right, but it's not anything much. Just some shadows...Is that blind?

Anyway...here's my story of the worst and the bestest times of my life!

I doesn't remember much before the cage. I thinks I wuz lost in a very noisy, very busy place called a shopping center. I heard voices, but none of them talked to me. I wuz hungry. I wuz thirsty. I wuz soooo scared!

A lady came and she wuz nice. Until she putted me in a box!! It wuzn't very big and I couldn't reach my paws through it. She talked to me, but I wuz too scared to listen much.

It got worse! When we gots out of the truck, we went inside a building. I could hear doors opening and new voices. But the SMELLS! I's only a kitten but I smelled lots of cats...and DOGS...and hoomans. It wuz soooo noisy!!!!! Barking...hissing...meowing...crying...

I didn't know what to do! I hunkered down in the corner of the box, glad now that I was hidden away.

After a long, long time, the lady tooked me in my box. She walked with me and as she walked, the bad noises got LOUDER!!! I just knew those dogs wuz right there, ready to eat me up!!! I couldn't see them but I could hear them just fine.

When she stopped, the lady's hand reached in and dragged me from the safety of my hiding place. She smelled like other cats and dogs. I tried to hold on, but she wuz much stronger. She spoke kindly to me but it didn't help me be less afraid.

She held me up in the air and I heard hoomans talking. Meowmy said later that that wuz when they made my photo for Petfinder. That wuz a good thing, really, but how would I know that at the time??

She dropped me down in what I later figured out wuz a cage. I heard meows and hisses all around me, but the barking didn't seem quite so close. Where wuz I? Why wuz I in a cage? What had I done so wrong??

For a long time, I just huddled in the corner, facing away from the door. Maybe nobody would see me...

But I wuz hungry and thirsty and I could smell food and water nearby. Finally, I ventured out and found my way to the food bowl and ate a little then had a little water. I wuz hungry but just couldn't eat much. I wuz too scared.

It seemed like I wuz there soooooo long. Meowmy sez it wuz about a week but I doesn't know what a week is. Must be a looonngg time!

One day, a man came to my cage door. Meowmy said later he wuz a trustee from something called a prison. He wuz nice to me and said I wuz being 'dopted. I wondered is 'dopted wuz a good or a bad thing??

It wuz a GOOOOOOD thing! I met my Meowmy right then! She cuddled me close and talked to me softly. Once we wuz in her car, she tooked me out of the cat carrier and gave me REAL food! From a can!! And kitty milk!!! I ate and ate and ate.

I had to go back in the carrier to ride to my new home, but that wuzn't bad 'cause Meowmy talked to me the whole time and petted me through the door when the car stopped. I already loved my new Meowmy!!!!!

Once we stopped for good, Meowmy set me up in a wonderful new place all just for me. (We went to the vet first, but that's not so interestin', I doesn't thinks...) Now I have met my new brofurs and sisfurs, but at first, it wuz just me and Meowmy in a few rooms where they couldn't come visit me. That night, I cuddled all night with Meowmy and my new Purrdaddy. It wuz so wonderful!!!

So...I still isn't sure 'bout bein' blind. It's not so bad really. I loves to run and play, chase my brofurs and sisfurs, and do all the tings other kitties do. But I is very special...'cause I founded a furever home!!!

I's a very special kitty named Stevie!!

(Note from Meowmy: I didn't intend on keeping Stevie, just rescuing him so he could find a real furever home. Little did I know that he intended to keep ME!! He follows me now everywhere I go in the house, sleeps curled next to me all night, and is my little boy.)