Joey's Journey

Full of adventure, Joey leaps and bounds across the leaf-riddled forest floor. His
feline senses are in full effect as his paws propel him at a tremendous speed.
Sun-strewn and quiet, the forest sets the stage as the perfect proving ground for
Joey and his chase for mischief.

Suddenly, Joey’s carefree adventure came to a halt--a bone-crushing one.
Although we may never actually know the events leading up to Joey’s traumatic
event, when he was found caught in an animal trap, we do know this
extraordinary kitten would have a journey ahead of him that would test his nine
lives.

With his front right leg severed, and his front left crushed, Joey found himself at
the mercy of nearly everything. He was found and rushed to a nearby
veterinarian clinic. As a stray, Joey received what services he could–his front
right leg area patched up enough that he would recover with his crushed left arm
largely untouched. Now, bouncing around on his two hind legs, Joey quickly
gained a reputation for himself and became well-known at the shelter he was
placed in.

It wasn’t long until this peculiar and sweet kitten found himself a home. Over the
course of a little more than a year, Joey had a roof over his head, a full bowl of
kibble, and a loving family member. Shortly thereafter, Joey’s luck ran out--again.
By no fault of his own, Joey was abandoned back where it all started, the clinic
that treated his injury from the trap. When he was dropped off at the clinic it was
closed and he was left outside without a crate or any form of shelter. Defenseless
and still grappling with his disability, Joey was able to find refuge under a nearby
shed to stave off predators and the elements until he was found.

With the first chapter of his journey now coming full circle, the shelter reached out
to their rescue partner, City Dog City Kitties Rescue (CDCK). With a network of
more than 600 volunteers, the rescue services at CDCK provide newfound
freedom and a second chance at life by transferring pets from under-resourced,
at-risk rural shelters to loving families living in the nation’s capital. For the last 10
years, CDCK has provided forever homes for nearly 9,000 pets, as well as,
established a strong foster network that acts as interim caretakers for more than
200 dogs and cats at any given time.

When Joey first arrived in Washington, D.C., he was placed with his interim
caretaker, CDCK foster Patricia. It was immediately apparent that Joey was still
full of spirit despite having to be an absolute survivor. Instantly Patricia noticed a
terrible laceration on his front left wrist. With the crushed leg relatively untouched
by medical care, Joey utilized the soft underside of his arm almost as though it
was a walking stick--and without the naturally-provided protection of the pads of
his paws, suffered a further injury on his front leg.

While Patricia and CDCK rescue determined what best next steps in Joey’s
care were needed, Joey quickly adapted to his new foster home and lived
completely oblivious to his disability. Hopping along for so long, the strength of his back two legs now enabled him to propel up onto nearly anything. With Patricia’s keen and loving attention she could easily begin to determine which out-of-sight “meows” were playful or signaled a need for help to get back down from a newly conquered height.

With a care plan being developed for Joey, Patricia would take him to a local
D.C. veterinarian’s office to bandage up his remaining left front leg and try to
provide temporary relief. Clearly, this kangaroo-kitty needed more treatment than
just bandages (which often fell off with his exploring)--it was determined that
despite his front left leg being completely crushed, keeping the leg with an
installed medical rod would regain Joey’s ability to use his paws as a crutch,
versus his sensitive wrist.

Five thousand dollars. That was the price tag for Joey to get back to his
normal. In a world where orthopedic surgery on cats is extremely rare, the
community behind CDCK understood and recognized the amazing journey
Joey had survived and the years ahead he would have filled with tenacity and
love for his family. CDCK’s community of alumni adopters, volunteers,
employees, and friends raised the full amount necessary for Joey’s
life-improving surgery.

Patricia shared, “Joey has had a lot of angels in his life. You wouldn’t be able to tell him that he was any different than any other animal...he can be such a sweet rascal. He is pleased to befriend both cats and dogs and his mobility hasn’t been slowed despite his differences. As time went on it occurred to me that Joey and I grew to a point where we just really knew one another and became a duo. I can tell when Joey needs my help from the next room and I can simply tap my shoulder to get him down into my arms and then safely on the ground...then he’s off to the next adventure. I knew then I was completely foster-failing this kitty and wanted to be his forever family.”

Patricia, now Joey’s full-time forever Mom, expressed her gratitude to CDCK for being a compassionate, volunteer-driven organization. She continues to volunteer her time as an intake coordinator for the rescue, when she isn’t busy trying to keep up with her kangaroo-kitty, Joey.

To learn more about how you can support the City Dogs City Kitties Rescue organization by adopting, fostering, donating, or sharing your talents by volunteering, please contact The Administrative Staff at info@citydogsrescuedc.org or (202) 567-7364. For more information on the rescue itself, please visit https://www.citydogsrescuedc.org.