Rocky Needs Saving. Please Spread The Word.
Unless he is adopted in the meantime, Rocky, a tabby cat, has four days to live from the date of this post (Nov 20th 2013). He is likely to be euthanized at 6:45pm on 24 Nov. at Hillsborough County Animal Services, 440 N Falkenburg Rd., Tampa, FL 33619, (813) 744-5660. That is what we are told.
Rocky is a handsome, fit, 2 year old, grey/brown tabby random bred (a better description is “freeborn”) male cat. Although the FB page states “no sex” – perhaps that means not sexed. Here he is at the shelter:
His story is particularly poignant, although somewhat sketchy. I don’t have a lot of detail. It seems that Rocky’s owner was a military person or connected to the US military. He or she was deployed. I presume that means sent abroad, perhaps to Afghanistan.
As a result Rocky’s owner asked a friend to care for Rocky. The friend accepted. However, the friend has relinquished Rocky to what I am told is a “high kill shelter” – Hillsborough County Animal Services.
The reason? Rocky hissed! These are the exact words on the FB page:
Not sure what happened with handsome Rocky, he was nice with me but hissed at his neighbors
That statement is not really clear but for someone like me it is clear that there is no good reason for abandoning Rocky. Is there ever a good reason to abandon a cat? A cat hissing after he has been moved to a new home and is feeling anxious and defensive is perfectly natural. I am speculating that this is what happened. I don’t know for sure. If I am correct, a bit of patience and TLC is all that is needed for Rocky to settle down.
Conclusion? Rocky has had a raw deal. You can’t blame the person who was deployed abroad but we can, I believe, fairly apportion blame on the “friend” who appears to have turned out to be not be as good a friend as first thought. That is my assessment but I don’t have the full facts.
Relinquishing a cat to a high kill shelter because he hisses for good reason is not decent behavior. I am spreading the word to see if Rocky can be saved. It just takes one person in the area of Tampa, Florida, to pick up the phone (813 744-5660) and say, “I want to adopt Rocky, I’m coming right now!”
Shared this boy on my FB page yesterday and again today , earlier . Story sounds so hookie ! But you just never know . Hope he gets out and should be out by now!!!Shelters usually post “unknown” for sex when they are really busy or the animals is so matted or “feisty” they can’t be handled . Of course I’ve seen them when it was VERY obvious what sex they were and still listed as unknown!
Whoa! That is very heavy-handed to put the cat in a kill shelter because he hissed. It shows a great deal of ignorance and a terrible lack of empathy. I mean that not just toward the cat but also toward the friend. It just about sounds too horrible to believe somebody would actually do this to a deployed soldier. I hold out some hope that this story isn’t true.
I agree totally. It is plainly wrong. There may be something about the story that is unreported and which might help us understand what is happening.
Rocky doesn’t need to be adopted– just kept safe until his human gets back from deployment. How is that soldier going to feel when he comes back from his tour of duty and finds out his precious cat has been killed? That’s going to be tough to get over. My dad is still upset that Grandma gave away his baseball cards and some other stuff from his room while he was in basic training after being drafted into the army. Rocky is a living being, not just some stuff that was thrown out. I just don’t see his human companion being able to deal well with Rocky being put to death. This cannot be allowed to happen, not just for Rocky’s sake. Soldiers come back with PTSD, they have trouble reintegrating into society, often have trouble finding jobs. The jerk who was caring for this cat has just added the death of a treasured feline companion onto everything else that soldier will have to deal with when he comes home. Rocky could have helped the soldier return to normal life. He can’t do that if he’s dead. Out of respect for our vets at least, this cat must not be harmed.
I have made contact with 4 no-kill organizations in that area, pleading and promising a donation.
It’s a wait and see thing now but, I don’t expect a whple lot.
In case there is anyone left on the planet that doesn’t know how I feel about kill shelters, here it is:
I HATE THEM!!!
You have been heroic and you can’t do the impossible but it is sad that not one from four can express a willingness to help.
Some friend, hmm? I do not understand such behavior from a fellow human.
Another link that should be passed along
(written pet agreement suggested):
http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/adoption-pet-care/issues-information/fostering-military-pets.html
Hi Caroline. Hope you are well. Thanks for the links.
Good morning, Michael. I’m doing well, thanks.
I know that this doesn’t need to be said… We can’t know the exact circumstances, but maybe it’s best to give this innocent victim a new, loving home. I hope and pray that this happens.
Thought I’d make a call this morning. Hope they’re getting inundated.
Hrs. of operation and Rocky’s “ID #” Rocky A1478561
Hillsborough County Animal Services
440 N. Falkenburg Road
Tampa, Florida 33619
(813)744-5660
Open 7 days a week 10a.m.-7p.m.
I’ll donate money to this if it helps. I’m 100% serious, PLEASE contact me if ANY money is needed to get Rocky out of there. Maybe I can pay to have him transported to a no kill shelter for a start.
Florida, yikes, one of the many ground zeros for cat killing pretty much.
Florida is a popular place for cat owners. Lots of Bengal cat breeder there for instance. Thanks again Marc for your generosity. I hope someone comes forward who lives locally and does the necessary. It ain’t asking much. If the person adopting needs some finance we’ll get back to you 😉
Good, yes. Michael I’ll have Marion’s money on my paypal account either tomorrow or the day after. Doesn’t mean I can’t do a bank transfer though. Whichever is cheaper.
Marc, you are such a goodhearted, solid example for all of us. I sure wish that we all could simply fly down there and rescue Rocky. I don’t know much about this shelter other than what’s been said here, but I will be calling when they open today. Until then, maybe a few comments to our fellow catlovers in Tampa via Facebook.
Thank you for the kind reply that you left me a wk ago or so. It inspired me to start back into my yoga class. I meant to reply to you after such a thoughtful comment as always from you. I was missing the class terribly–it just wasn’t the same without her soothing voice and flow. Although it is fun doing yoga with my cats. Well, they seem to be fascinated anyway 🙂
Hey Caroline – thank you for your kind remarks. That’s great your starting back into yoga. Yes a class can help and you can still go home and do some more – I like classes to – they motivate me a lot and sometimes I really need that.
I really hope Rocky is saved from this place. Couldn’t we rent his cage for 5 or 10 bucks a day to keep him there til he gets adopted?
Oh man it’s heartbreaking. I feel powerless, all I have is a little bit of money to help him if need be.
Shared on facebook as I’ve lots of USA contacts through the anti declaw battle, it’s 2pm here so only 6am in Florida (I think) so the day is just beginning there and hopefully someone will see it soon and save Rocky.
As of this evening he is still listed.
Can anyone help this poor guy?
Thanks Teresa. This upsets me but it does not surprise me. Rocky is one of hundreds of thousands. It make me very happy to see him adopted.
Sharing far and wide and hoping and praying someone can save Rocky
Am sharing Rocky on my page also! Hopefully with all of us…he can find a home where a normal person KNOWS that cats do HISS! JEEZ!