We have another very special memory with Mr. Spunky who came to Halfway Home on his death bed several years ago.  On this entry day, we simply call him the Hobo. The policeman who called me told of him being found dying in an old empty potato barrel in the very worst winter temperatures and snow storms. As he described the cat I said take him right over to the vet and have him checked. A short call later I received a call back from the Policeman who said the vet recommended putting Spunky right to sleep.  “No Way! I answered.”  I can’t agree to that without seeing him and so you bring to bring him here first.”  He did and my first reaction was that I had made a very dubious decision. This was a cat with both his front feet on one side of the end of the Rainbow Bridge and the back feet just really close to the start of the bridge.  Just then Spunky blinked at me and I sat down and I rocked and cuddled with him. Then there just a very tiny little purr just one little short purr. Oh, gracious, I thought.  He needs to at least know love while he is leaving us so I rocked and I hydrated him, syringe fed him and rocked and rocked and rocked him though the entire night.

A week later he was lifting his head when he would see me approaching. It was slow, so very slow but by then we had just about the whole Media World whole praying for little Spunky and slowly we could see the smallest signs of recovery each and every day.  Once he was able to stand by himself, it was just a day later he walked a few steps. I found that he would be very quick to eat his own food and then even more quick to steal my hamburger from my hand. It soon because a pattern, first Spunky wanted a piece of my lunch, then half of my lunch and then my entire lunch. How I loved that little man and his brave struggle to make it all the way back to life.   All of us volunteers rejoiced at his sweet, smart, happy and teasing personality. He soon became a star not only in Aroostook County but a very loved national and international star presenting the ever present hope of each person or animal who has ever been abused, neglected or abandoned.  Spunky spent his last several years in a very loving home with a fantastic family. Spunky’s journey to us was as sad as this rescue work can get, but Spunky’s farewell to HHPR and his “Hello” to his new family is the very reason that each and every Halfway Home Pet Rescue Volunteer puts their heart and soul into helping these precious animals. Our heartbreaks are few, “Thank you, God, for that.”   The we dry our tears then we go back to work.  However, so many, many times we have tears of great joy as another Spunky recovers and goes to his new home.

Thank you, supporters, whatever you do to help us complete this mission of love.

-Norma Blackstone Milton