Archive: Around Town

Ithaca, NY: On Monday, March 23, 2009 Executive Director Abigail Smith was contacted by a representative from Lifelong regarding two pets stranded in Florida after their owner, a local senior citizen, was forced to return to NY without them over three months ago.  One week later, the pets are safe and sound at the SPCA of Tompkins County after a late night flight from Miami to Syracuse last Monday.

It took several days for Smith to piece together the events leading up to the owner’s desperate plea for help delivered to a representative from Congressman Maurice Hinchey’s Ithaca office, who then called Lifelong for assistance.  The owner had traveled to Florida to attend a funeral, but became very ill upon arrival and spent the following four weeks hospitalized, during which time his 11 year old beagle and 7 year old cat were boarded at a Florida veterinary practice.  When the man was released from the hospital and went to pick up his pets, he found himself faced with an $800 bill. 

Without the resources to pay the boarding facility in full, the man was turned away and forced to return to New York without his pets.  Two weeks later, the $800 was sent to the Florida boarding facility, but the owner was told that he now owed $400 more and that his pets would not be released.  Two and a half months later, after dozens of pleas from the man and his family, the bill rose to over $2,000, and time was running out.

The SPCA made several calls to the Florida veterinarian holding Hardy, the beagle, and Zuni, the calico kitty, and was successful in negotiating a lower cost to release the pets.  Smith then called the Humane Society of Greater Miami and asked for assistance; and Executive Director Emily Marquez was eager to help.  Finally, on Thursday, March 26, 2009, Smith headed to FedEx with a cashiers check bound for Miami.  On Friday, March 27, 2009, Humane Society of Greater Miami’s Director of Animal Care & Shelter Management, Sandy Guerra, successfully collected Hardy and Zuni and transported them to their North Miami Beach shelter where they spent the weekend.  After vaccinations and an exam by the shelter’s veterinarian, the pets were ready to travel back to Ithaca.

The pets arrived in Syracuse late Monday night and appear to be healthy. Hardy and Zuni are spending a couple of days at the SPCA of Tompkins County where they will have their final veterinary exams before being reunited with their guardian after more than four months of heart breaking separation.

“The SPCA of Tompkins County is delighted to be able to provide help for people and pets in need—that’s why we’re here”, says Smith.

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