Elsa, a small orange kitten who nearly died outside in subzero temperatures, has finally received what every cat deserves: a safe home with the warmth of a person who loves her.
Elsa appeared to have died from the cold by the time she was discovered by a kind stranger late last month, abandoned outside in Denver, Colo., on the coldest night of the year. The kitten had not only ceased breathing, but she also had a temperature that was too low to detect on a thermometer.
“It occurs all the time here – cats and dogs freezing to death or near death,” Tim, a shelter worker, said.
Luckily for Elsa, the woman who found her refused to give up, carrying the cat’s lifeless body inside to warm on a heating pad. Incredibly, the dying cat then began to stir, after which her rescuer rushed her to a local animal rescue group, Denver Dumb Friends League (DDFL), to continue thawing out.
Elsa began to perk up after a few more hours of being enveloped by warm blankets at the league’s shelter, signifying her return to life with a quiet meow.
“Between the lady doing the right thing by bringing her inside, and then bringing her in here, she saved Elsa’s life,” Tim said. “She deserves all the credit.”
Elsa’s near-death experience immediately spread, touching the hearts of almost 3,000 people who called in to adopt her. Because she required more time to recuperate entirely, a shelter volunteer called Jim Slater took it upon himself to provide Elsa with full-time foster care in the interim, but he was quickly taken over by the furry survivor and wanted to keep her permanently.
“Elsa’s foster parent became forever parent, Jim, is also our 2014 Volunteer of the Year!” the DDFL announces on Facebook. “We’re overjoyed for both of them and can’t think of a greater fairy tale ending.”
Everyone at the shelter is happy for Elsa, but Tim is quick to point out that, in his experience, things don’t usually end well for creatures like her. Thousands of animals are mercilessly kept outside in hostile conditions on any given night, according to Tim. And he’s aware of it because he sees it all the time.
“Elsa made headlines, but we encounter tales like her every day that don’t. We received thousands of calls looking for Elsa, but we have dozens of kittens who look just like her and were found in the cold “Tim explains.
The Humane Society of the United States says that leaving cats and dogs outside in freezing temperatures is one of the most common forms of animal cruelty. People who suspect a pet may be suffering should contact local law enforcement or animal control.
