Sometimes when you move you can’t have your pet come with you. Either way you should still care about your animal and be sad about not being able to bring them. That wasn’t the case for Toby the cat.
This past February Toby was given away to another family but he had no clue why. For some reason he doesn’t speak English and his family couldn’t tell him. He must have thought it was a mistake because he ran away from his new family.
He actually ran 12 miles away back to his home with his old family. The fact was though, they didn’t want him.
Tara Lynn who is the communications director for the SPCA of Wake County told The Dodo what happened next:
“They took him to a shelter and asked them to euthanize him. It was just so heartbreaking to know he made it all the way back to his family, and that was their response.”
The public shelter couldn’t do such a thing, so they called the SPCA and they took him in right away. Toby was saved from his family who didn’t want him, so it was a win-win for everyone it seemed.
Once Toby was in the SPCA’s care, they gave him the proper medical treatment he needed.
Lynn said:
“He tested positive for feline immunodeficiency virus, and also had an upper respiratory infection. We got him treated for the infection, which took a little while.”
I don’t think he missed his family anymore after his second relocation. The SPCA staff gave him all the love and attention he had previously begged for probably.
Lynn continued:
“He was very friendly. Just your sweet, typical cat — they want to get love and to love you.”
Now it was time to find Toby’s forever home. His adorable pictures got posted to social media and the phone was ringing off the hook for Toby.
Michele Puckett was the first to get to the shelter to meet him and it was like bread meeting butter for the first time. Lynn said:
“She had no hesitation whatsoever. She was on a job site and just dropped everything to come here.
Puckett adopted him last week and her two other cats welcomed Toby home like he had been there forever.
Puckett also talked to The Dodo and said:
“He is just so sweet, cuddly and loving. He’s also pretty much taken over our bed, as if he’s lived here forever. He loves to relax and lay under our pillows.”
Puckett couldn’t believe Toby’s past, it just didn’t make sense. All she cares about is that he found his way to her though. She’s incredibly grateful.
Because of Toby’s adoption story, Lynn is hopeful that other people will be more inclined to adopt. She concluded:
“There are tons of pets who are easily discarded by their families or a breeder. I really hope he inspires other people to go out and adopt.”
