This is a story about a little kitty who came to me through work and who touched me very, very deeply.
Gabriel came to me maybe three weeks ago as a little white and blue stray. A young married couple had found him trapped in a corner of a yard where kids had been throwing things at him. He was terrified, he was underweight and hungry, cold and sick. He had lice, fleas, ticks, worms and flu. But bless his little paws, he was the most affectionate little creature.
Over a few weeks, I managed to get his medicine into him - we cured all the ailments and he slowly began to really trust people again. All of this time, he still didn't have a name (we didn't name him at work, simply because we weren't sure if he was going to make it or not).
Time ticked on by and he was slowly getting better and better. He loved nothing more than to crawl into the crook of my arm and sleep with his nose in my elbow.
And then tragedy struck. He stopped eating. We discovered that a dormant virus had suddenly reared it's ugly head and despite all of our best efforts, he was slowly slipping away from us. However, again he started to pull through. I decided one day that I would give him a name. He had been so strong and forgiving.... so he had to have the name of an angel. Gabriel. I don't know why Gabriel.... but it fitted him.
The next day, my two superiors were in his cage, stumped as to what was wrong with him. He was tottering around crying and crying. He wouldn't eat. I walked in, and he became really quiet. Once he'd calmed down he crawled up into his favourite place to have a cuddle. He was leaving us. So I sat there for 15 minutes or so just talking to him, he got his shot... and that was where he crossed the bridge. Lying in my arms. It was the least I could have done for him - he had waited all night for me to come back. My little Gabriel. Now he's waiting on the other side and he's watching over me the way I watched over him. He was happy and he lets me know it.
He touched me so deeply and it hurt to lose him - and it hurt even more to think that he never had a forever home. But I know I gave him everything I could while he was in my care at the shelter and it was as close to a forever home as it could be. He re-enforced why it is I do the job I do and proved to me that I am not losing the heart for it. He showed the compassion and forgiveness that only an animal can in the face of abuse.
May your paws rest light wherever they land, little angel.
Gabriel came to me maybe three weeks ago as a little white and blue stray. A young married couple had found him trapped in a corner of a yard where kids had been throwing things at him. He was terrified, he was underweight and hungry, cold and sick. He had lice, fleas, ticks, worms and flu. But bless his little paws, he was the most affectionate little creature.
Over a few weeks, I managed to get his medicine into him - we cured all the ailments and he slowly began to really trust people again. All of this time, he still didn't have a name (we didn't name him at work, simply because we weren't sure if he was going to make it or not).
Time ticked on by and he was slowly getting better and better. He loved nothing more than to crawl into the crook of my arm and sleep with his nose in my elbow.
And then tragedy struck. He stopped eating. We discovered that a dormant virus had suddenly reared it's ugly head and despite all of our best efforts, he was slowly slipping away from us. However, again he started to pull through. I decided one day that I would give him a name. He had been so strong and forgiving.... so he had to have the name of an angel. Gabriel. I don't know why Gabriel.... but it fitted him.
The next day, my two superiors were in his cage, stumped as to what was wrong with him. He was tottering around crying and crying. He wouldn't eat. I walked in, and he became really quiet. Once he'd calmed down he crawled up into his favourite place to have a cuddle. He was leaving us. So I sat there for 15 minutes or so just talking to him, he got his shot... and that was where he crossed the bridge. Lying in my arms. It was the least I could have done for him - he had waited all night for me to come back. My little Gabriel. Now he's waiting on the other side and he's watching over me the way I watched over him. He was happy and he lets me know it.
He touched me so deeply and it hurt to lose him - and it hurt even more to think that he never had a forever home. But I know I gave him everything I could while he was in my care at the shelter and it was as close to a forever home as it could be. He re-enforced why it is I do the job I do and proved to me that I am not losing the heart for it. He showed the compassion and forgiveness that only an animal can in the face of abuse.
May your paws rest light wherever they land, little angel.
