Once again Channel 3 is partnering with the Cleveland Animal Protective League for the 7th Annual Fur-Get-Me-Not Telethon.
Taking place Thursday from 5 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., the telethon inspires viewers to help the thousands of animals that will come through the Cleveland APL's doors this year, all while bringing the community together.
If you can't watch the telethon but want to make a difference in the lives of neglected and abused pets, you can donate now by calling 216-566-PETS or by clicking here.
Throughout the day, join us as we present stories showcasing the diverse and meaningful work the APL does to rescue, heal, nurture, adopt, and advocate for animals in need. Thanks to our viewers' generosity, our previous telethons have led to the direct adoption of more than 120 animals and raised $230,000+. All funds raised by the telethon will benefit the Cleveland APL. We also want thank Pet Valu for sponsoring this year's telethon.
Exactly how are those donations spent? Meet some furry friends below who've benefited from the generosity of past donations, and the excellent care provided by the Cleveland APL and their staff.
Bamble
Bamble’s blindness was overwhelming for his family. They struggled to properly care for this 6-year-old special needs dog, so they kept him in a single room but that was not the life he deserved. Bamble’s family soon realized that the little guy needed more care than they could offer. They lovingly surrendered him to the Cleveland APL in hopes that Bamble would find a special family that would be able to care for him despite his challenges. When he first arrived at the Cleveland APL, Bamble was understandably scared and did not like being touched—he would growl, bark and back as far away from people as possible. But our staff and volunteers spent time teaching him to trust, even if it was just a few select people! Luckily for Bamble, one of those people was his new mom, whom he adores and who is helping him to get more confident every day.
Bee Bee
Bee Bee is a 5-year-old cat who was brought to the Cleveland APL by a Good Samaritan who found him injured in a feral cat colony. BeeBee had a broken jaw and his injuries appeared to be the result of being hit by a car. BeeBee’s injuries were so severe that his jaw needed to be wired shut and he had to be fed through a feeding tube. Despite all this, BeeBee was a very friendly cat who would purr when he had a full belly, despite being fed through a tube. After extensive care at the APL, BeeBee was able to eat normally again and he was adopted by the Good Samaritan who rescued him!
Calliope
One night, the Cleveland APL’s Humane Investigations team received a phone call about an injured cat on Tri-C’s Eastern Campus. When one of the APL’s amazing volunteers arrived to pick up Calliope, it was apparent that she had an injury to her front leg, possibly caused by being hit by a car. The entire APL team quickly set to work to take care of this sweet cat. With the help of volunteers, she was taken to a specialist and received extensive medical care and a much needed specialty surgery for her injured leg. Afterwards, she went to a caring foster care home where she healed. After five months of recovery, Calliope went on to find a loving home where she lives in comfort!
Greensby
Greensby is a young rabbit who was found abandoned in a park with nothing but a bag of carrots. A Good Samaritan found her and brought her to the Cleveland APL. Greensby, who was quickly examined by our veterinary team, was in poor shape. She was emaciated, her ears were in terrible shape and she had ingrown teeth. Because of donations to the APL, she received specialty surgery to remove the ingrown teeth. She recovered in the home of an APL Foster Care volunteer. Well, actually Greensby was home because her foster mom adopted her!
Jackson
Jackson’s arrival at the Cleveland APL was anything but conventional. This poor, scared 9-year-old dog was found tied to the dumpster behind our shelter in Tremont in the middle of the day. Luckily, an employee stumbled across the dog on her way out to lunch and immediately came to his aid. When Jackson was brought inside the building, the APL’s team was surprised to see a large mass—approximately the size of a grapefruit—on his lip. The APL’s veterinary team was able to remove the mass from his face and were relieved to learn it was not cancerous. The only reminder of what Jackson endured is a very cute “Elvis lip,” which just makes him all the more adorable! As luck would have it, one of our wonderful dog walking volunteers grew especially attached to Jackson. As soon as he was cleared for adoption, he went home with his new mom, Kelly.
Jessie
Jessie had lived as an outside cat for the first three years of her life. When she arrived at the Cleveland APL in the arms of a Good Samaritan, it appeared as though this sweet cat had been hit by a car. Jessie had a large, scabbing wound on her back, was unable to use her back right leg, and needed immediate medical care. Jessie required a special surgery to have her tail amputated. After surgery, she needed two months in the care of a loving APL Foster family to tend to her wounds and help her skin heal. Another wonderful result of her time in foster care was that Jessie also learned just how nice life can be in the comforts of a warm home with people who love her. Finally, thanks to our veterinary team’s and Jessie’s foster family’s caring attention and compassion, she was ready for adoption. With her neck pillow as a stylish accessory, Jessie charmed her new mom with her photo on social media. She came to see Jessie in person, and now Jessie has a wonderful life as an indoor cat and a home to call her own.
Koda
Koda is a Papillon puppy who was brought in to the Cleveland APL by our Humane Investigations team. Koda’s back paws had been badly burned and he needed immediate treatment. Our veterinary team treated his burns and bandaged Koda’s paws. He went to the home of a loving APL Foster Care family who continued to care for his injuries and change his bandages. When Koda was healthy and ready to be put up for adoption, he found his new family almost immediately.
Scout
Scout was transferred to the Cleveland APL from another shelter where he had already gotten a lot of help. He was first found in a small town, emaciated and crippled after being hit by a car. The Rescue Shelter made sure he had the surgery he needed to repair his dislocated hip and the physical therapy he needed afterward. But that was just the beginning of Scout’s journey. When he made his way east, our veterinary team noticed that this poor pup was still not using his rear right leg. Another surgery was needed. After one knee surgery, two months of physical therapy and seven months in the Cleveland APL’s care, Scout was ready to begin his new life. This sweet, handsome dog only spent two days on our adoption floor before his new dad saw him and fell in love.
Today, Scout cannot imagine any other life than the wonderful one he has now.
Shalimar
Shalimar is a 7-year-old Shepherd mix who came to the Cleveland APL severely underweight. She only weighed 37 pounds; a healthy weight for a dog her size is 55 pounds. Shalimar was sent to a foster home in order to put on weight before being adopted. Unfortunately, after several weeks in foster care, her size had not changed. Following extensive testing, it was determined that Shalimar has Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, which made her unable to keep on weight. After several months without finding an adopter, Shali was prepared to go to a German Shepherd rescue group, which stirred one of her fosters into joining the “foster failure” club by adopting Shali. Now, with the right medication and lots of love and attention, she has put on 25 pounds!
Tommy
Tommy, a sweet 15-year-old cat, found himself in a shelter for the first time in his life when a new baby joined the family who was allergic to the senior feline. The shelter was a confusing and scary place for Tommy, who at his age was rather set in his ways. Our volunteers and staff members spent extra time with the loving cat every day for the three months he was at the APL, but what Tommy really needed was a home. He needed a safe, warm place where he could spend his senior years lounging by the window and being adored by his new “person.” Then, one fateful day his soon-to-be dad walked in to the APL cat adoption room, and the rest is history. Now Tommy is happily spending his golden years with his dad and his new canine sibling—quite a change for the former “only child!”