A news-making rescue

Since the Texas Pawprints group has been the victim of the DAS/Animal Shelter Commission rumour mill for years, I thought it would be nice to reprint this archived 2003 article from the Dallas Morning News - back before Belo fired Larry Powell and a bunch of other columnists.

Kitten starts his new life

Larry Powell

Published: April 12, 2003

The needle of death was just about to be slipped into Teddy the Kitten's vein when he purred and nuzzled the hand that held him.

Moved by the kitten's affection, the technician put down the syringe and phoned for help.

Teddy, apparently paralyzed, had been brought to the pound in Corsicana in mid-February and almost immediately faced death, says Laniq Adams of Pawprints, a Dallas rescue group. "The people who dropped him off said he fell out of a truck," says Laniq. "But the veterinarians who later examined him said they didn't think so. There was no missing skin, no tar in his fur, just some sort of bad neurological problem."

Teddy was pitifully dragging his hindquarters. The technician who spared him called Cody Strand of Disco Doggy & Kitty Pet Rescue, a group that hosts adoptions 1-6 p.m. Sundays at the Red Jacket, 3606 Greenville Ave. (See www.discodog andkitty.org or call 214-402-7400.)*

Cody called Pawprints and asked for a "hospice" home for this ailing lilac-point Siamese kitten.
Laniq says, "We kind of have this philosophy that if it crosses our road and needs help, we'll take it." Last year, Pawprints placed 130 cats, five dogs and a guinea pig. (Pawprints needs foster homes and funds. Paypal donations to hairball@texaspawprints.org.)

Laniq got Teddy around 4 p.m. that February day. She took him to a vet who gave him steroids, and by 8 p.m., she says, "he was trying to stand up." After a few days of care, she says, he was "walking like a crab - sideways - but he was walking and purring and eating. We put him in foster care, and it has been a matter of keeping him on the meds. He's been steadily improving."

Various vet specialists have been unable to pinpoint Teddy's problem. But, Laniq says, he may have come down with an odd case of toxoplasmosis, a relatively common cat disease.

"Right now we're weaning him off steroids," says Laniq. "He's up to just over 5 pounds and he's found what appears to be a permanent foster home - the husband has decided Teddy isn't going anywhere else. He even brings home steak from Kirby's for this kitten!"

Epilogue: Seven years later, Teddy remains in his original foster home and is spoiled rotten. His medical problems were never diagnosed, but his only remaining symptom is that he can't jump down from anything taller than a foot high. However, his indulgent owner has solved this problem with some clever furniture arrangements.

* Disco Doggy is no longer operational, as the Red Jacket closed some years ago.