Hello! My name is Allison and I am the guardian of a beautiful female Bengal cat named Aja (pronounced like the continent Asia). A few months ago, Aja had a close encounter with a car on Soquel Blvd. Near State Park Dr.
Aja was thrown to the side of the road and somehow made it onto the grounds near Severino's where a passerby heard her crying and called Animal Control. Aja was then transported to the Soquel Animal Hospital ER where she was sedated and examined.
Aja was also scanned to see if she had a locator chip in her. She did, but I had moved from Scott's Valley to Aptos and neglected to update my new phone number.
The staff from the Animal Hospital then tracked me down through Facebook! Talk about blind luck! She was hit by the car early Saturday morning and on Sunday morning I received a phone call asking if I was missing a Bengal cat. I was elated!
I rushed down to the Hospital and when the staff showed me the cage where Aja was. I stuck my hand into the cage and at first she hissed and growled at me. As soon as she caught my scent she started purring and licking my hand (You found me!!!).
Soon afterward I learned that Aja had three fractures in her pelvis and would require surgery. I gave my consent to proceed and was informed that the cost of the procedure would be about $7,500.00.
The clinic informed me that they required immediate payment, or at least a substantial down payment. I called my sister for help, while I was waiting to reach her, a staff member handed me a brochure from the Birchbark Foundation. She explained Birchbark would furnish financial assistance to low-income individuals whose pets suffered a catastrophic but fixable injury.
Since I live on a fixed income this seemed like a Godsend. I filled out the application to see if I qualified for assistance. My grant came through, Aja got her surgery, and she is now in a rehab program at home! Up until the day of Aja's admittance to the pet clinic, I had never heard of the Birchbark Foundation. This is a wonderful organization that deserves to be supported by our community. Without Birchbark I could not have afforded Aja's care and she would have to be put to sleep. She is not just a pet, she is a member of my family. Thank You Birchbark for giving Aja a new lease on life!
To help more families like Alison and Aja, please donate today!
