Here is Holly’s incredible story, told by Holly’s human guardian, Jacob Richter.
“Holly arrived in our life as a feral kitten, healing from wounds she received from living inside an air conditioner unit from the fan; she jumped up on my mother’s lap as she sat on her porch chair. This was Christmas Eve of 2010, how could I refuse her need? We took her in, and after Christmas took her to our veterinarian, she got all the needs for a kitten. When the time was right, she was payed and a chip inserted. We bonded with love and respect.”
In November of 2012, the Richter family was vacationing in Daytona when Holly ran out of their recreation vehicle. They searched the local animal shelters, posted flyers, and delayed their trip home as long as possible. Fireworks exploding the day after Holly was lost may have scared her even further away. After exhaustive searching, still no Holly. Heartbroken, the Richters had to return home. They received a report of a cat with the tortoise shell cat’s distinctive markings eating in Daytona Beach at a community cat colony about two weeks later.
One day about a month and a half later, Barb Mazzola and her daughter saw a thin cat in their yard. It took days to slowly convince the tortoise shell with distinctive markings to trust them enough to eat. A vet’s microchip check led to the ringing of Jacob and Bonnie’s phone on New Year’s Eve Day. Holly had lost 75% of her body weight; the pads on her feet were scraped from walking on cement. The first thing Holly did when she returned home was to jump up on to Jacob Richter’s lap. Jacob and his wife Bonnie say that “Holly’s journey home was a miracle of love”. Holly had walked from Daytona Beach Race Track to a home one mile north of the Richter’s, just under 200 miles. Yet she made it home, a real life incredible journey.
Jacob told me about the scrapbook he was making for Holly when we spoke. He was thrilled to discover that Animal Hero Kids would recognize Holly with the “Returning Hero Award”, which comes with a gift certificate of $250. Jacob used the $250 gift card towards funding treatment for an untreated broken leg. Star, a female German shepherd mix nicknamed Love Bug, has found her forever home. She runs and plays with no trouble, and is Holly’s gentle canine brother.
Holly after her ordeal is healthy again.
Susan Hargreaves
Animal Hero Kids Author/Founder
Cell 561-236-8843 • Office 561-575-5517
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