What would you do if you came across an abandoned cat carrier next to an empty parking spot? Would you check whether there’s a cat there? Would you turn a blind eye and depart without checking the contents of the carrier?
Or, would you argue that we’re setting you up for failure by offering you a hypothetical situation that would never happen in real life?
We’re keeping our fingers crossed that every pet parent or pet-parent-to-be would react the way the employee of Hearts Alive Village reacted when she experienced the above-mentioned hypothetical situation first-hand.
Not more than a month ago, an employee of Hearts Alive Village spotted a cat carrier next to an empty parking spot. She approached the carrier to check whether there was a tag or a note that would make sense of the situation (because she was sure someone had forgotten the carrier there).
She was stunned when she discovered that the carrier wasn’t empty. Needless to say, she took the cat with her back to the Hearts Alive Village to try to figure out what to do next.
Now, the Hearts Alive Village happens to be an LA-based rescue center. So, this cat was fortunate enough to be found by someone whose sole purpose was to rescue cats.
When the employee arrived at the Hearts Alive Village, she managed to locate the microchip and track the owner of the abandoned cat.
When she contacted the owner, hoping that the entire situation was some sort of a consequence of a series of unfortunate events, he expressed that he abandoned the cat because he wasn’t able to afford to tend to her needs anymore.
Even though everyone at the Hearts Alive Village was saddened to hear that, the employees decided to care for the cat and try to get someone to foster and adopt her. Nikki Martinez and her husband became her foster parents, welcomed her, and named her Dolly.
Nikki and her husband were unsettled by the treatment that Dolly received from the previous owner that they made sure to shower her with as much affection, appreciation, and adoration as she deserved.
From the moment she arrived at the foster home, Dolly became everyone’s princess. From Nikki and her husband to foster cats and kittens, everyone seemed to become best buddies with Dolly.
Dolly didn’t seem to frown at the attention she was getting and she became one of the most affectionate members of the family very, very soon. Dolly also suffered from a bunch of health niggles which meant that she required more attention than the other members.
She suffered from tummy problems and teeth problems, and she needed thorough teeth cleaning (which was expensive). She was over the moon because she soon figured out that Nikki and her husband provided her with a safe space and that she didn’t need to worry about getting abandoned again.
Nikki and her husband wanted Dolly to understand that they weren’t going anywhere and they made sure to show her affection and appreciation every single day. Dolly was a great sport about going to the vet, taking her meds, and doing everything she needed to do to get better.
Nikki and her husband made sure to follow the vet’s advice to a tee, and before they even noticed what was going on, Dolly was running around the apartment, chasing after birds, and living her best life! She was getting better by the minute, becoming healthier and happier than ever.
When Dolly was ready for a forever home, Nikki and her husband started posting about her on Nikki’s Instagram account (@myfosterkittens). Dolly was oftentimes photographed snuggling with Nikki, napping on the carpet, cuddling with kittens, and getting belly rubs and head scratches from Nikki’s husband.
With each day, Nikki and her husband made Dolly’s life better. Whether or not she was aware of that, Dolly became everyone’s sweetheart and everyone was rooting for her to get better.
Dolly recovered from most of her health problems, but the vet needed to extract her teeth because they were causing her too much discomfort. Due to that (and to her tummy problems), Nikki and her husband needed to create a new diet for her that wouldn’t cause her harm.
Other than that, though, Dolly became the happiest she’s ever been and she amassed quite a following on Instagram (who wouldn’t adore a toothless princess!?) Of course, Dolly’s forever family didn’t need any more convincing.
Nikki and her husband announced that Dolly was adopted and was headed to her forever home in Kent, Washington. Nikki added that Dolly’s going to be the only pet and a pampered princess (as she deserves!).
We’re keeping our fingers crossed that Dolly never remembers the unfortunate events that, thank goodness, brought her the happiest ones. We love you, Dolly!