A green-eyed tabby cat named Pickles headed off to a new home in Shadyside Wednesday, where she gains a second chance at a happy life after losing her left front leg when a firecracker was attached to her paw.
The staff at Humane Animal Rescue’s North Side shelter gathered round as Pickles and her adopters met for the first time.
More than 70 people applied to adopt the 2-3-year-old cat, after learning about her in newspapers, television broadcasts and on social media.
A McKees Rocks man took the cat to the shelter on July 12 with rubber bands wrapped around the mangled remains of her left front leg.
The HAR veterinary staff said the rubber bands had secured a firecracker to the leg. The paw had been blown off, her bone was exposed and maggots were living in the badly infected leg. They think the damage was inflicted one week earlier — right around July 4.
Amputating the leg very high up, by the shoulder, was the only medical option. The surgical wound has healed well and smoothly, and antibiotics cleared up the infection.
On Wednesday the grey-colored cat with three white paws cuddled in the arms of Adoptions Manager Sarah Davies.
“She’s such a sweet cat,” Ms. Davies said, smiling as she handed Pickles off to a 30-something couple named Scott and Meagan. Surprised by the publicity, they asked that their last names not be published but allowed their photos to be taken.
The cat calmly sat on Scott’s lap, then on Meagan’s lap, and looked wide-eyed at cameras aimed at her by the Post-Gazette and by Zac Seymour, manager of digital accounts at HAR.
“She’s had a rough go in life and we wanted to help her. She is beautiful,” Meagan said.
“We realize she needs special care,” Scott said.
Pickles will be joining PeeWee — the long-haired calico who already lives at the Shadyside residence. Her name will still be Pickles, the couple said, and she will be a strictly indoor cat, as is PeeWee.
Staff gave her the name because her eyes are green and the veterinarians like pickles, Mr. Seymour said. The fact that the Picklesburgh event is this weekend “is a happy coincidence,” Scott said.
More than 100,000 people saw Pickles on HAR’s social media, including Instagram and Facebook, where there were 1,000 shares, Mr. Seymour said. The story of Pickles was picked up by media outlets around the country.
Scott and Meagan were “picked at random,” then they were interviewed to make sure they are a good match, said Dan Rossi, chief executive officer at Humane Animal Rescue. The other would-be adopters have been offered discounted fees if they adopt other cats.
HAR’s humane officer is investigating, and a national organization PETA — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for injuring Pickles.
Anyone with information should contact HAR at https://www.humaneanimalrescue.org/report-cruelty or call 412-345-7300 extension 245.
Linda Wilson Fuoco: lfuoco@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1953 or on PG Pets on Facebook.
First Published: July 24, 2019, 11:10 p.m.