By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet — or few — from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Big Sid’s Sanctuary. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
We first laid eyes on Ellyn back in the fall of 2014, when clients of Dr. Jen’s brought her in for medical attention; she had been a stray for quite some time and was in dire need of care. When Dr. Jen first examined this beguiling brown torbie (who was born in the spring of 2010), Dr. Jen discovered that Ellyn was significantly anemic secondary to a blood parasite caused by a heavy flea infestation, had a bilateral ear infection due to untreated ear mites, was plagued by chronic nasal discharge (since her ear infection had ruptured the ear drums and was deep-seeded in the Eustachian tubes), had an umbilical hernia that had to be repaired once she was healthy enough to be spayed AND had lost ALL of her teeth.
To complicate matters, she was also FIV+, but in all honesty, that was the least of her worries. When her rescuers learned of her laundry list of ailments, they didn’t turn her away, and even though Dr. Jen offered to take kitty into our program at Big Sid’s, they instead opted to take her home, treat her and hopefully get her well enough to become part of their household. It took several weeks before Ellyn bounced back, but overall we were all pleased with her progress and they were totally smitten with her! In fact, the three of them lived happily and harmoniously together until the fall of 2017, when sadly it was her humans’ health issues that brought her back to Dr. Jen.
Unfortunately, when our gorgeous girl returned to the clinic this time around, she had yet another list of things that needed addressing, though not from neglect but rather circumstances beyond everyone’s control. Her ear issues were back with an vengeance, her eyes were quite inflamed and irritated, eventually leading to a nasty corneal ulcer in her left orb, and she needed a new fancy haircut as she was very matted.
However, this lovely lady did NOT let her present circumstances get her down, and once Dr. Jen had Ellyn spruced up and feeling fine, she was sent to our shelter to meet everyone; literally everyone who meets Ellyn is completely in love with her as she is just so, so sweet! She is the first one to greet you at the door and won’t stop following you until you sit down for some cuddle time. She will most definitely do great in any home that will give her plenty of lap time, and in return she promises to be your official lap warmer and snuggle bug!
In the meantime we are all enjoying the charming creature that is Ellyn, she who embodies grace and possesses the gentlest of spirits.
More about Ellyn
NOTE: A $825 grant from Lil BUB’s Big Fund for the ASPCA will enable Crash’s Landing & Big Sid’s Sanctuary, to fund comprehensive exams for five Big Sid’s Sanctuary cats before going to their new home. Each exam would include a full blood panel, dental care, radiographs, urinalysis, antibiotics and pain medication, if needed. Big Sid’s caters exclusively to cats who test positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) or FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus). FIV and FeLV are viruses that can, if they flare up, suppress a cat’s immune system. The shelter takes cats with FIV or FeLV from all over Michigan.
Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
