11/19/2022
As the manager of The Furry Paws Sanctuary, a super small feline sanctuary located in Aplington, IA. I would like to meet with someone regarding our 8 felines that we currently have in our care.
Our issue is simple. I'm 78 and my wife is 81. And not in the best of health. Added to that, we have no local contacts, friends, family, etc., that what would be able to step in and care for our felines should we have a medical emergency. This is our primary concern.
Added to that, our sole source of income is from our SS income. We no longer have any savings, retirement income other than our SS income, etc.
Our closest trusted contact is Gina De Vries, that resides in Nashua, a person we have known for several years, and knows our felines well. And has a key to Funk Manor in the event of an emergency.
A brief history:
We relocated bag and baggage, from Garland, TX to Aplington, IA in Dec of 2019, fallowing the sale of our former home, and our purchase our current residence we call Funk Manor, a large 5 bedroom, 2 story home that was built in 1919, bringing with us 4 of our remaining 8 rescues we had at the time.
Several months earlier, prior to making the move, we had paid $1,500 per kitty, then transported 4 of our felines then in our care at that time, placing them with Rustic Hollow Sanctuary in Nashua, IA.
Our intent was as we settled in at our new location, in Aplington, that we would eventually place our remaining felines with Rustic Hollow as well.
Sadly, that plan went south big time in Nov of 2020, at which time, do to a change in management at Rustic Hollow, we ended up taking back our 4 felines from them, as they were loosing weight rapidly, and showing other signs of health issues. Our vet on the day of of transport, found that 2 had become FIV+, with one of them also contracting stomatitis for which he now gets daily medications.
At the time of the move, I was also scheduled to start work full time for the Home Depot in Waterloo as I had been working with the Home Depot in Mesquite, TX. A transfer to the Waterloo store was approved. Sadly, before I could report for work, Covid-19 hit. Do to my age, etc., I was placed on extended leave with plans to report for work, once things settled. As we all know, that never happened. Come January of 2021, I was terminated due to company policy.
Coming back to the purpose of this posting:
We are in a situation that makes it no longer possible to continue either financially, let alone health wise to continue caring for the 8 kitties currently in our care. Further to that, we have been unable to develop a network of local support either financially, or otherwise, such as to helping with the day to day care of our felines, and that of Funk Manor. Including helping us to find our felines, proper loving forever homes that meets the needs of each kitty.
We are therefor, asking if there is someone within an organization, and/or an individual that would be able to come to our location, check things out, meet our felines, and help us find a solution that is both viable, timely and that makes sense.
Regards,
William O. (Willie) Funk, Mgr
The Furry Paws Foundation Sanctuary
Phone: 319-347-6360. 😎
