Took Brandi on the Cascade Trail for a walk this morning. As we were passing a thick patch of blackberries her nose went straight up and she started circling. I know this sign, but we were in the middle of nowhere. Literally, no one around as far as the eye can see, no homes, no campsites, just trees and wilderness.
I let her off the lead and told her gently to find the kitty. She made a beeline for the blackberry bushes but she couldn’t get in, they were to thick. I picked up a branch and started parting the berries. I saw a small box on the ground and so did B-dog- she dove for it and pushed it over to me. I lifted the lid to find two kittens inside! One black, one gray. Brandi was whining, so I put her in a down command and picked up the black kitten. He wasn’t here anymore. Then I picked up the gray kitten, who squirmed weakly, but she was alive! I gave her to B- who gently gave her a bath.I put some water into the mouth and the kitten swallowed weakly. We raced home.
Gave her fluids, got rid of the fleas and gave her some Karo syrup and coffee sugared with KMR. Then we went to the vet-she was dewormed and examined and sent home. I gave her a bath and then gave her to Mike to snuggle with.
Here she is looking much better than when I found her. She is a bit unsteady on her feet- but a cute little bug. I am calling her Fern.
God Bless this Dog who has fallen into our care- I did not train her to find these lost creatures- she finds them all on her own,
This dog is the perfect fit for you! She is a wonder!
Brandi is astonishing. She seems genuinely interested in finding cats for you, not with chasing them, playing with them or anything else. It’s a shame that Fern’s brother didn’t make it. Who would put kittens in a box in the woods? Why not just finish them off – that would be a mercy to a slow death of exposure or starvation – or from some predator. Somebody had the cruelty to kill the kittens but not the guts. Good for you and Brandi – and I’ll bet snuggling with Mike did Fern as much good as everything else she received.
A friend of mine told me that when she drove home on afternoon recently (she lives high in the mountain pass) she noticed a car stopped on the side of the road and didn’t think much of it. When she went to work the next morning, at the same spot where the car had stopped were 5 young kittens! Of course, she stopped and got out of the car. She had a bag of expired dog food in her car so she spread that on the ground but as she was feeding- a bobcat came out of the woods! She quickly got back in her car and called me- but I couldn’t make it up there to help her. I am sure the kittens are gone now and that is why some people dump young kittens in the woods. They know they won’t survive to many predators.
This dog strongly reminds me of “Ginny” the dog who rescued cats. A shelter dog owned by Philip Gonzalez who needed her as much as she needed him. I had read a book about her years ago, and apparently through the years Philip Gonzalez shared with Ginny, more books were written. Ginny has passed away but still has a facebook page, and other online sites. Your Brandi seems to have the same characteristics. I believe God brought Brandi to you for this purpose, because she has a gift, and you have the appreciation of that gift.
I don’t mean to sound opportunistic but there could be a way to further your work in cat rescue and promote Brandi’s apparent skills.
I have had the same thought. With her natural ability to find these lost souls, perhaps I can take her out to homes of people looking for their cats and ask on a donation basis for a fee if the cat is found. I have to do something- as CATS Inc., vet bill is now in the $900.00 range and getting back to my article writing is slow-going what with Mike’s needs and all the cats under my care.
To say money is tight is an understatement and I am still in dispute with pp about the button on my website. But anything contributed would go right to the vet bill
Sometimes it looks like Paypal seems to enjoy giving people grief. Hope you eventually prevail.
From one gray kittie to another, thanks Brandi, for finding that little gray kitteh.
Brandi is a remarkable dog. She reminded us of Ginnie too. Sometimes a very special animal finds a very special reason for a purpose. That’s a great idea working together to help find lost cats. A really novel idea. Maybe vets would allow you to put up a little advertisement?
Fern is one very lucky kitten, we hope she does well and send love and purrs for her little sibling who didn’t make it.
Brandi was sent to be your dog and help you in your work.
What an amazing dog she is.