Friends of the Animal Campus Fly ‘Shadow’ Across Country
Friends of the Animal Campus Fly ‘Shadow’ Across Country
Shadow was nervous. She was down to her last chip. But it turned out to be a very valuable chip.
Shadow was anticipating her first ever airplane ride across the country later in the day, and she struggled in Animal Care Technician Emily Viallaltando’s arms.
This special cat was the focus of attention today because she’s being flown from Ontario to Pittsburgh, courtesy of the Friends of the Animal Campus, the nonprofit fundraising arm for the Cities / County Animal Shelter on the Coachella Valley Animal Campus (CVAC) in Thousand Palms.
The funding for the flight was provided by the Friends to assure Shadow a loving home with Sheila Finch, the mother of Shadow’s former owner, the late jazz musician Derrick Finch.
Tragically killed in a traffic accident in February, Derrick had been traveling from Southern California toward New Orleans with Shadow, his beloved feline friend, by his side. Shadow was found by a Deputy Sheriff at the scene of the crash, on the side of Interstate 10 near Palm Drive.
Riverside County Animal Services strives to reunite pets with their owners. In this instance, Derrick’s mother was overjoyed to provide a loving home for her son’s cat. She said Shadow and her son were very close, and she is looking forward to having her as a reminder.
"My son so loved that cat," Mrs. Finch said by telephone.Coordinated by Animal Services Public Information Officer John Welsh, the trip involves transportation to Ontario Airport where there is a special Continental Airlines department for transporting animals, a layover in Houston where the cat will be fed and watered, then arrival in Pittsburgh. Shadow will be picked up at the airport by the Pittsburg Humane Society, and delivered to Sheila Finch.
The sunny outlook for Shadow was possible due to her identification by microchip. When Shadow was delivered to the CVAC, County staff automatically scanned her and located the microchip, and searched the national database to verify her owner. She was positively linked to Mr. Finch, and the quest began to find her a loving home. Thanks to the caring work of County staff, Shadow will enjoy her remaining eight lives in cooler climates.
“In a small way, we hope to honor this amazing musician and fellow animal lover,” Welsh said.
“This is a remarkable example of the advantage of having your pet microchipped,” said 4 th District Supervisor Roy Wilson, who has had both his dog and his cat chipped. “ It’s hard to overstate the importance of this simple procedure which can reunite pets and owners so quickly and easily.”
Your pets can be “chipped” for just $15 at the CVAC. Call for information: (760) 343-3644.
However, airline tickets are not guaranteed.