How Sweet the Sound...

By chance, I visited the Sioux City, IA Animal Control website today and saw the following on their homepage,

"$3500 REWARD

You have probably seen in the media that Sioux City Animal Control picked up a cat who had a nail firmly implanted into her head!

This cruelty is beyond anything we have seen in over 25 years.

The Siouxland Humane Society, The HSUS and a Local Volunteer have put forward the reward of $3500, which will be given to anyone who provides information that directly leads to the arrest and conviction of the "person" who is responsible for this horrendous cruelty!

Grace Underwent Surgery Last Friday And Is Making A Fantastic Recovery, Unfortunately She May Lose Her Left Eye As A Result Of This Injury.

If you have any leads on the case, give Sioux City Crimestoppers a call at 258-TIPS. "

According to KTIV .com --" A defenseless cat is attacked in a senseless crime, but is showing she's too tough to give up. The cat, named "Amazing Grace," was found last week with a nail buried in her forehead.

"She was extremely dehydrated and depressed," says veterinarian Dr. Pat Saulsbury.
Those were the smaller problems when Grace arrived at the Siouxland Animal Hospital last Wednesday.

Dr. Steven Merritt says, "First thought is, 'Wow, how could a cat possibly survive a nail -- a 3-and-a-half-inch nail -- through its skull?'"...

"I've never seen anything like this and still have the cat be alive and still to be purring and meowing and eating and doing everything a cat would normally do," said Animal Control director Cindy Rarrat.


Once Grace arrived, the doctors waited two days before removing the nail. Their first focus was getting her acclimated to medications and working on her eye, which has corneal damage, likely from air coming out of the nail gun she was attacked with. Then, on Friday, Doctors Saulsbury and Merritt tackled the more obvious ailment...
And she's only been improving since. The doctors eventually expect Grace to be good as new, but say she may lose sight in her left eye.


Despite the attack, she's still friendly and trusting, which is all the more troubling for those wondering why Grace was attacked in the first place.

"Somebody had to be responsible for this and if we find them, we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law," Rarrat said.

Officials are still looking for who committed the crime, and are offering a $3,500 reward for information. If you have any leads on the case, give Sioux City Crimestoppers a call at 258-TIPS.
(Online Reporter: Zach Tecklenburg)

The question remains, "Was this injury an accident or was it intentional?" The only ones that know the truth for certain are Grace, the person who held the nail gun, and any higher power or powers you may or may not believe in.

I do believe that accidents do happen. I also believe that accidents happen that result in the injury or death of an animal or a person. However, it is difficult for me to believe that the nail gun was accidentally dropped and that pure chance would send a projectile to the direct center of the forehead of a friendly cat and embed flush to the scalp. This injury seems to have been exucutionary in intention. I do hope they find the person responsible. I also hope this person can prove that it was unintentional, because I dislike the feeling of pessimism.

I did notice something in the web page that seemed so blatent in its absence.

The $3500 reward has been donated by the Siouxland Humane Society, The HSUS and a Local Volunteer. In our state, there are over 400 licensed commercial dog breeding kennels, four of them are located in Sioux City, with more lying in the surrounding area. Most commercial breeders register their dogs with APRI (America's Pet Registry, Inc).

When you buy a puppy, they often come with papers. These papers will "register" your dog with the group from which the papers are provided. Many of the commericial breeders/puppy mills are using APRI for registration of their litters, since APRI does not require genetic testing of frequently used breeding dogs, and does not conduct on-site inspections of the kennels that they certify.

On the APRI website it states, "

"Welcome to the official website of America's Pet Registry Inc.(APRI). The nation’s only pet registration service dedicated to the preservation and promotion of pet ownership and the professional pet industry. This site provides an array of information and resources to responsible pet owners, breeders, distributors, veterinarians, retailers, pet product manufacturers and others dedicated to the humane care of animals, the preservation of quality bloodlines and the rights of individual pet owners."

Since the APRI claims to provide resources to those dedicated to the humane care of animals, why do they not contribute to animal neglect and abuse cases such as this one? What a great way to show the world how much they care about the animals they register. Unfortunately, in today's society, a reward is often the only thing that gets people to speak up when they have information on a case of abuse. Perhaps the APRI should provide resources at times like this, when they are truly needed and can make such an overwhelming difference. To see the initials APRI listed after the reward amount would be inspirational...would it not?

Whether the person is discovered or not, "Amazing Grace" has survived. Perhaps she survived for a reason... a purpose. Perhaps she will provide a person with the type of love that they need to straighten their path in life. Perhaps she will comfort a frightened child. Perhaps she will be someone's only companion. Perhaps she will be the only comfort to a person in ill health. Perhaps her purr will be the last thing a person hears as they pass away.  How sweet would that sound be?

She is a loving, friendly cat despite suffering such a terrible, traumatic, and painful injury. So we know she will provide unconditional love to whomever is fortunate enough to have her. This may not be the last time she is abused or neglected in her long nine lives, although we all hope it is the only time.  She has a power of forgiveness that many humans do not possess. She has the power of unconditional love that many humans do not possess.  

Perhaps we should be learning from her. 



If you have any information regarding this case, or hear anyone bragging about being the one who did this, please call Sioux City Crimestoppers at 715-258-TIPS or 712-258-8477.

Post Op Video of Amazing Grace at http://www.ktiv.com/global/story.asp?s=12550203




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