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| CAMMIE AND HER SERVICE CATS Contra Costa County, CA December 2007 Dear Voices For Pets: This is dedicated to Voices For Pets and to the life of my kitty, “Gata”. Thank you for existing! I truly do not know what I would have done without your help over the years, especially on August 24, 2007. As you know I called you in a panic, because my kitty, “Gata” had become deathly ill. She was 15 years old. You came to my rescue again! Thank you, thank you for helping me to not have to face one of my biggest fears. I did have to face the inevitable fear of saying goodbye to my little girl, but I did not have to face the massive fear I had of not being there with her when it came time for her to pass. As you know, I have a severe quadriplegic disability and it has worsened to the point where I have become bed-ridden 24/7. There would have been no way that I could have handled any of the events of August 24, 2007 physically, emotionally or mentally without your intelligent heartfelt work. I cannot imagine how much she would have suffered. She probably would have had an agonizing death right in front of me. All I would have been able to do was watch. Thank you for keeping that awful nightmare from occurring. You again went beyond the call of duty. Voices For Pets, with your extremely limited resources answered my call, got my “Gata” to a Veterinarian to be diagnosed, obtained and financed a Veterinarian to come to my home and bedside, so I could hold her as she passed on, and you supported and stayed with me through everything. I honestly hope my case didn’t place your organization in debt. I need you to know how grateful I am for all the help that your organization has given me, and for all that you have done for the animals in our community. You have renewed my faith in the human spirit, which I have been losing at a high rate due to my worsening disability. I have had to learn to rely on and to trust people in different ways, or not to trust at all. You show your unconditional love for animals, as they show to us. My “Gata” showed me this unconditional love 24/7. She stayed right by my side for 15 years. She responded to all of my emotions and all the pains that I have due to my disability. She was my best friend, my confidant, my protector (she was a lioness in her mind), and my furry baby and then sometimes I felt as if I was her pet. I miss her so much! This kitty truly established the belief in me, that animals have hearts and souls. This sweet little cat stayed right by my side through six moves, a divorce, a violent break-in, and my worsening disability. She was sweet to everyone and she loved her mama, me. I know that every pet lover has his or her own story. Well, this is my story. I needed to write this to you. I do not know any other life form that can provide us with that unconditional love, that we all so desperately need. Thank you, thank you for all you do, have done and hopefully will continue to do for the animals in our community in need, and in need of a voice. Thank you for helping me give my precious Gata a proper and loving good-bye. Love always & forever, Cammie and Gata December 2007 Dear Pet Lover, I first told you Cammie’s story in 2005. On Sunday evening October 15, 2005 Voices For Pets received a phone call from Cammie Bohren. Cammie said her 14-year-old cat Gata had not been well lately and over the last 24 hours had become lethargic, and was having trouble breathing. Cammie said she is a quadriplegic and receives $900.00 a month in Disability and could not take her cat to the vet or pay for it. Cammie came through with clear sincerity, love and concern for her cat Gata. With the help of Dr. Richard Groff of The Contra Costa Veterinary Emergency Center, Gata was treated “at cost” and recovered. Not only did Gata give Cammie love and affection for 14 years but was sensitive to her condition and would zero in on points of pain and massage with her paws. Gata would alert Cammie to an oncoming seizure by persistently nuzzling her cheek, giving Cammie time to prepare and lessening the degree of the seizure. In 1971 when Cammie was four years old she had a viral infection that left her with severe neurological damage. Cammie’s condition worsened over the years and in 1986 she found herself getting used to the idea that she needed a wheelchair. Nevertheless Cammie persisted and in 1990 she received her B.A. from San Francisco State University. In 1999 Cammie was hit by a car and landed on her head with a three hundred pound motorized wheelchair on top of her. She was able to laugh about that one. In 2000 a monster broke into her apartment, raped and robbed her. In August 2007 Cammie again called and said that her 15-year-old cat Gata was very ill. I took Gata to Dr. Tami Pierce at Four Corners Veterinary Hospital, in Concord. Dr. Pierce has always been generous to Voices For Pets, with her time and care. After a blood test and an examination it was determined that Gata had developed diabetes, and her kidneys were failing. I took Gata home to Cammie and we talked about it. It was a hard decision for Cammie to make but she knew that there was only one right answer. It was time to let her friend go. The Vet came to Cammie’s home and Cammie was able to hold Gata one last time and say goodbye. I have come to know Cammie the last two years. She is a very dear friend. She is a very strong person, and one of the purest spirits I have ever known. I know that no one can ever take the place of Gata in Cammie’s heart. I also know that when the time is right, another furry person will come along to find his or her own place in Cammie’s heart. Leroy Moyer, Director December 2005 On Sunday evening October 15, 2005 VOICES FOR PETS received a phone call from Cammie Bohren. Cammie said her 14 year old cat Gata had not been well lately and over the last 24 hours had become lethargic, and having difficulty breathing. I said she needs to get her cat to the vet right away. Cammie said she is a quadriplegic and receives $900.00 a month in Disability and could not take her cat to the vet or pay for it. Cammie came through with clear sincerity, love and concern for her cat Gata. There are times when a person cannot turn their head and pretend that they just can’t hear. But it was Sunday night and the only open Veterinarian was Contra Costa Veterinary Emergency Center in Concord, which charges a premium because they have to maintain a full staff 24/7. I thought of other vet bills and expenses VOICES FOR PETS has to pay. I thought about our dwindling bank account and said I would take Gata to the vet. At the Contra Costa Veterinary Emergency Center, Dr. Richard Groff examined Gata, did blood test and determined that Gata had an infected tooth below the gum line. Dr. Groff anesthetized her, extracted the tooth, gave her an antibiotic shot and sent her home with oral antibiotics. I had met Dr. Groff before and he knew of VOICES FOR PETS work. We where presented with a bill for $185.00, far less than expected. Gata’s Mom Cammie spends much of her time, when not in a wheelchair, laying on a mat on her living room floor. When I brought Gata home, still waking up from anesthesia she crawled out of the box, took a few bites of food, a drink of water, flopped down next to Cammie and snuggled in. Not all of the work I am privileged to do fills me with rage. Target stores in Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill donates pet food to VOICES FOR PETS – more on that later – I stopped by to visit with Cammie and Gata with cat food for Gata and Cammie’s three other service cats. As we talked I learned many things about Cammie. I noticed a book on physics and philosophy lying on the floor next to Cammie’s mat. When I asked about it we got into a conversation about the electromagnetic spectrum and how everything in reality has it’s own vibration. Cammie still has limited feeling in her body. Unfortunately much of it is pain. Cammie said not only do her cats give her love and affection but are sensitive to her condition and will zero in on points of pain and message with their paws. Her cat Gata will alert her to an oncoming seizure by persistently nuzzling her cheek, giving Cammie time to prepare and lessening the degree of the seizure. I learned that in 1971, when Cammie was four-years-old she had a viral infection that left her with severe neurological damage. Cammie’s condition worsened over the years and in 1986 she found herself getting used to the idea that she needed a wheelchair. Nevertheless Cammie persisted and in 1990 she received her B.A. from San Francisco State University. In 1999 Cammie was hit by a car and landed on her head with a three hundred pound motorized wheelchair on top of her. She was able to laugh about that one. In 2000 a monster broke into her apartment, raped and robbed her. In 2005, one month before her cat Gata got sick her landlord told her to get rid of her cats. Cammie has four service cats Gata, Baby, Tes, and Buddy. Gata, Baby and Tes have been with Cammie for over ten years. Five years ago a small kitten named Buddy was left behind by a family that had moved. He wondered around the neighborhood and found a cave and a women who said “Hi” he also found three female cats that tentatively accepted him and let him share their food. He also found comfort and warmth next to Cammie’s body. I went to a meeting of the City of Berkeley Commission on Disability and met Paul J. Church, the City’s Disability Service Specialist. Mr. Church said that as long as Cammie was not in violation of City Code as to the number of pets she has she has a right to keep her cats. He gave me a web site to find the Federal Laws on Service Pets and said he would be available for more help. I then contacted attorney Corey Evans of the San Francisco Law Office of Evans and Page. Attorney Evans said he would be glad to help. He then researched State and Federal law concerning Americans with Disabilities and their right to Service Animals. He than wrote a letter to the corporate owners of Cammie’s apartment to inform them that Cammie has a right to keep her service cats. See letter attached. Voices For Pets will let you know of developments in future updates. Read Attorney Evans Letter |
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