Justice for Jeb: A Fight Against Animal Cruelty
Donation protected
*** Original campaign purpose before Jeb's amputation can be seen under "Updates". ***
Short Story:
Jeb, a 6-month-old kitten, could not be saved from a full arm amputation despite weeks of seeking a solution. The injuries that necessitated amputation were the direct results of animal abuse and repeated veterinary malpractice. Purpose of funding: Assist Jeb's adopter (who is currently disabled and cannot work) with financial hardship from unexpected, large veterinary bills; retain an attorney to take legal action against Jeb's abusers and grossly negligent veterinary clinic. Jeb has paid dearly for the crimes against him. While these criminals continue to go about their lives with no repercussions, Jeb will never be the whole cat he was meant to be and his disabled adopter is facing financial hardship with no way out.
Jeb’s Story:
Hi, my name is Jeb. I am a 6-month-old kitten and I spent 2 months of my very short life suffering and in pain. My arm had to be amputated when I was 3-months-old. I still struggle with getting around and there's a lot of simple things I can't do like a normal kitten should be able to.
How did this happen? Well, let's start at the very beginning. A young girl found my Mama on the streets and grew attached to her. She convinced her Mother (hereon referred to as "Responsible Party") to allow my Mama to stay with them. What they didn't know was my Mama was pregnant with me and my 6 siblings. The Responsible Party allowed my Mama to stay and deliver me and my brothers and sisters. For reasons I don't know, the Responsible Party placed a Craigslist ad to get rid of me, my siblings, and my Mama who her daughter soooo fond of just a few weeks prior. While we were awaiting our new homes, something happened that horribly dislocated my elbow and wrist leaving my arm limp, useless, and in pain. Since I can't tell anyone what exactly happened to me, my foster Mom and my adopter don't really know the truth yet. Later, the Responsible Party would tell my future foster Mom that her adult son stepped on me and that's all my Foster Mom and my adopter know for now. I was only about four weeks old and don't know why I was allowed to be put in harm’s way like that. The Responsible Party eventually took me to the vet (hereon referred to as "Vet F"). My arm was x-rayed and Vet F disclosed to the Responsible Party that I had 2 broken bones (not the two dislocated joints they actually were). Given this information, the Responsible Party elected to do nothing for me. My bones were not reset or repositioned. I didn't even get a splint, bandage, or medicine for the terrible pain I was in. And Vet F allowed the Responsible Party to leave with me in this condition untreated. After 5 of my siblings were adopted, the Responsible Party sought someone to take me, my 1 remaining sibling, and my Mama away to wash her hands of us. Through a series of acquaintances, we were passed off to my foster Mom with no mention of my injuries. When my foster Mom quickly noticed my right arm wasn't "quite right" (see pic), she contacted the Responsible Party and asked what was wrong. The Responsible Party initially denied knowing anything about it. After my foster Mom pressed for details, the Responsible Party said "I think my son stepped on him" and gave her Vet F's information. My foster Mom immediately took me back to Vet F (for the sake of consistency of care) to get me checked and treated. Vet F x-rayed and bandaged my un-set, dislocated boned incorrectly causing me even more pain. When my foster Mom asked if I needed medicine, Vet F told her I was fine, my bones were in line, I didn't need any pain medication, and I should be brought back in 2 weeks to be x-rayed again and have my bandages changed. Vet F used improper bandages that adhered to my fur and skin, trapped dirt and sweat, and caused me even more discomfort. After 2 weeks, my foster Mom brought me back as Vet F instructed. Even with a 2nd set of x-rays (3rd if you include the ones the Responsible Party got), Vet F still said I had two broken bones which wasn't true at all. Vet F said I may need to have my arm amputated because my bones weren't fusing in a timely fashion. My bones were fusing just fine (in their unset and dislocated positions, that is). Vet F told my foster Mom I was bandaged the way I was so I could "grow into" them. Boy, did I! Because my mass of sticky bandages was not changed as it should be (every few days to 1 week, not 2 weeks like Vet F told my foster Mom) and my arm was not cleaned in between changes, even more sweat, filth and adhesive "grew into" my skin and fur. And, my claw pierced and "grew into" my paw pad. Though I was in terrible pain and discomfort, my foster Mom and the woman who would ultimately give me my "forever home" didn't know because I didn't let any of this affect my sweet, friendly disposition at all.
My beautiful Mama and I were the last up for adoption. Adopters didn't want me because of my arm. And they didn't want my Mama because they felt bad taking her away from me in my given injured state. But on December 29th, my adopter came to meet me and took me home, bum arm and all. What my foster Mom and adopter didn't know was how extensive my injuries were and how grossly I was neglected until my adopter took me to her vet (hereon referred to as "Vet A"). But I'll let my adopter tell that part of my story.
I feel very safe and loved in my "forever" home. But I was there for 2 months before I had the privilege of exploring like every cat does. I get excellent medical care. But that meant I was taken in the car (which I'm terrified of) to the vet (which I'm also terrified of) 2-3 times every week since I was adopted and the 3 months to follow.. After many attempts to find a surgeon to save my arm, on January 21st , my adopter was told for the last time that my arm was past saving even before she met me. So, it was amputated that day. After surgery, I woke up in complete shock and had a terrible time coming out of anesthesia. I was thrashing about and screaming for about 8-9 hours in the small carrier I had to be confined in to protect me from myself. After that phase, I was in pain, confused, and panic-stricken so clung as tightly as I could to my adopter. She stayed up with me for 30 hours after my surgery so I was loved, comforted, observed, and had everything I needed/wanted during this scary, traumatic time. After what felt like an eternity, I finally got to play with my new brother and sister and get accustomed to life with 3 limbs. But since my activity had to be restricted for so long, my heart raced, I panted heavily, and my whole body got very hot. The vet said it was because I'm "out of shape". No 3-month-old kitten should be "out of shape". Now, I've gotten most of my strength back but I still get winded and my heart races when I try to keep up with my siblings.
My Adopter’s Story:
Hi, my name is Kristen. I am Jeb's adopter, advocate, and "campaign manager".
My 12-year-old female kitty and I recently lost our very beloved male kitty. He was with her for 10 years and with me for 20 years. My female kitty made it clear she needed a companion, so the search for a new friend began. I found Jeb on a pet locating website. Throughout numerous searches and hundreds of profiles reviewed, I remained drawn to Jeb the whole time. I contacted his foster Mom to see if Jeb would be a compatible addition to our family. Jeb's foster Mom was very upfront with me about Jeb's arm being "broken" in 2 places and that Vet F had said amputation may be necessary because "his bones weren't fusing in a timely fashion". Through research online, I learned that a kitten's broken bone takes about 4-6 weeks to heal. And in more complex cases like Jeb's, they could take up to 16 weeks to heal. So, if the bones were in line and healing at the rate they were, the chances of arm amputation where slim to none. After educating myself about his condition and likely prognosis (as I knew it to be, not what it really was), I felt confident I could take care of him and arranged to meet him. When I did, I could not believe how sweet, friendly, and loving he was considering his physical condition and his surroundings (adoption events can be very stressful and scary for some animals). Not to mention how gorgeously adorable he was in person. Since I was very well versed in pain and the recovery process from the 6 surgeries I had in 2018 alone, I understood him and knew I could provide the patience, understanding, and care he needed. So, I took him home that day. Aside from being the normal amount of fearful of a new place, he was adjusting quickly and a joy to be around. However, as he got more settled in his new home the following day, he started crying a lot in very loud bursts. I was afraid it was cries of pain. Since I had already planned on taking him to my vet ("Vet A") as soon as possible, whatever was bothering him would be addressed the next day, New Year's Eve. What was supposed to be exams and x-rays to see how he was progressing turned into one horrible revelation after another. At the start of his appointment, Vet A's staff contacted Vet F to obtain his prior x-rays. Vet F declined and would only speak directly to Jeb's doctor at Vet A. Vet F was very rude and evasive towards his doctor and told him they only had x-ray films and had no means to send them (which is not true). Jeb was taken in back for x-rays and re-bandaging. After an unusually long time waiting, Jeb's doctor came back and told me Jeb did not have broken bones (as claimed 3 times by Vet F), he had a severely dislocated elbow and wrist. And since so much time had passed and his bones had fused in this terrible configuration, there was little hope of his arm being saved. I was shocked and devastated. After I collected myself, I asked for a referral to an orthopedic surgeon for a second opinion. Jeb was still not ready to go home because Vet A's vet techs were having a terrible time removing Jeb's massive amount of bandaging that had adhered to his skin and fur. After another long wait, I went back to use the bathroom and ran into one of the vet techs who had been working on Jeb. She told me that his arm was completely filthy from the adhesive and sweat because the old bandage had zero breathability. They took a long time cleaning his arm but were unable to get all of it off without causing him more pain (see picture). She also told me his claw had become ingrown into his paw pad.
I was at the vet for 3 hours with multiple trips out to my car to cry. I was filled with a potent mixture of heartbreak and sheer fury over what had been done to him. There were at least 3 opportunities for him to be properly taken care of and his arm easily saved. I see no difference between what the Responsible Party/Vet F did and someone violently yanking his arm out of its sockets, binding the loose bones on top of each other with a mass of filthy, sticky rags, and just leaving him to increasingly suffer with no remorse or mercy.
When we returned home and I got Jeb back in his crate, I just sat there and stared at him for at least an hour. I could not fathom how anyone could be so cruel, abusive, and grossly negligent to this tiny, innocent creature. I sat there and looked at him in pure awe. Now knowing the horrors he had endured, how on Earth could he possibly be so sweet, loving, and affectionate or even think about trusting any human ever again? But he does and I'm truly amazed by him.
I tried so hard to give him every possible shot of being made whole again. He deserved so much more from this world than what he'd been given. But after seeing and talking to so many surgeons who told me "no", I had to make the decision I never wanted for him ..... amputation. I gave him lots of love and kisses and told him everything was going to be okay (even though it was killing me inside). But he knew something was wrong. He stared at me fear-stricken and violently shivered and shook as the doctor took him away from me. "What have I done?", "What if I didn't do enough to save him?, "Will he even survive this major surgery at such a young age?", "Is he going to be okay after it's done?", and "Will he blame me and hate me forever?" were my only thoughts that took turns tormenting me on an endless loop. But, I had to keep my emotions in check for Jeb's sake. I didn't even tell anyone it happened for the first couple of days because, well, I couldn't bring myself to do so. The flood of emotions I was feeling during the whole 30 hours I stayed up with him after surgery had to be stowed far, far away so Jeb saw nothing but smiles instead of the tears, fear, and fury that resided below my surface. Despite this being incredibly hard for me to do, my poker face remained until he was fully recovered.
Why We Need Your Help:
His arm could have been saved on at least 3 separate occasions if he were in the care of a humane person or a competent vet. Instead, his initial injuries went untreated and then made worse when treated by a veterinarian who should have his license revoke for malpractice. Now, he has lost an entire limb. I am aware that many cats and dogs who have amputations carry on to live normal lives. And I will love and care for him as a "tripod" just the same. If Jeb's story wasn't one of people repeatedly abusing/neglecting him and, in turn, ultimately destroying his chance to keep his arm at all, I'd feel differently. Not to mention, cats are NOTORIOUS for hiding what's really going on with them. They may get along and seem fine. But a full amputation is a major operation, major physical loss, and major adjustment for anyone. How often have you seen campaigns against feline declawing because it's cruel amputation of their fingers and toes? Well, try to imagine the cruelty of losing a whole arm.
So, the battle to save Jeb's arm has been lost. But the war against "Responsible Party " and "Vet F" will commence once Jeb is fully recovered. I will not go quietly. I will do everything in my power to avenge Jeb and prevent this from happening to the other patients of Vet F and beyond. But, I need your help. I appreciate your support so far very much. But I'm still sitting with at least $2,500 in Jeb's vet bills that aren't covered by donations which creates a financial hardship I can't fix alone. Normal me would do what I've always done to cover huge vet bills and unexpected expenses, work 2 jobs. But since I'm disabled from a June 2017 car accident (losing my primary job and having my own extensive medical bills because of it), I can't do anything I normally would do. Also, please remember that the full extent of Jeb's injuries and the despicable actions that caused and exasperated his condition were unknown until after I adopted him. So I didn't knowingly bite off more than I could financially chew here. Jeb's situation isn't what I normally deal with as far as huge vet bills go either. This is different. This isn't the kidney disease/failure, terminal cancer, diabetes, etc I've dealt with before. This is needless abuse, neglect, and malpractice. So beyond vet bills, we need funding to retain legal representation to right this wrong and prevent future occurrences.
I've sought help from adoption/rescue organizations and charities only to find their budgets are already stretched thin because their resources are constantly depleted by righting the many wrongs of others as well. I didn't know where else I could turn other than GoFundMe.com to help Jeb and our cause.
Calling All Humanitarians:
This is a heartbreaking and all too common case of abuse, gross neglect, and malpractice. Please help us be free of the unexpected debt incurred for Jeb. Please help me fight back against the people who did this to him and prevent them from inflicting more harm. What if these same people were in charge of your animal's care? If there are no consequences for their actions, what reason would they have to do anything differently for your pet? If this happened to your pet, how much would this break your heart and infuriate you all in the same breath? Our pets are an integral part of our family, our best friends, and sometimes our only friend in our darkest hours. Their unconditional love is a gift and a blessing. They bring joy to pet owners and non-pet owners alike. The advent of online animal videos has generated endless hours of material that make us laugh, pick us up when we're down, touch our hearts, and restore our faith in humanity. That's pretty powerful stuff. The least we can give them in return is protection, care, and a voice.
Please donate and/or retweet/share. Donations are greatly appreciated, but so is something that costs you nothing. Word of mouth has the potential to generate an infinite amount of awareness and support. Right now, this is about one cat. From there it will be about the 100s to 1000s of animals under the care of this grossly incompetent "veterinary" clinic (Vet F). And from there, hopefully enough light is shed on this one case to give momentum to a broader solution for which I'm laying ground work.
If you are an animal rights attorney (or you know one .... preferably in the Greater Los Angeles area) and are moved by Jeb's story and would like to help bring his abusers to justice, please contact me through the GoFundMe.com messaging system or one of the many media outlets I've listed below.
Almost 20 years ago, I was dealing with similar case of animal neglect and malpractice. Try as I might, the army of me only got as far as a report to the Better Business Bureau and an investigation that was dropped after I was no longer a resident of that state. When I fast forward to now where we have a vast array of outlets to connect with each other, unite, inform, and do something more personally profound and effective against these crimes, I’m inspired and moved. I'd love to see what we could achieve.
Please donate/retweet/share to help this cause and spread its existence as far as possible. Thank you so much if you've donated. Thank you for the many forms of support that often helped make the only tears I've allowed myself to shed to be happy tears. Thank you so much for your time. -Jeb and Kristen ❤
Raise awareness for this cause (#justiceforjeb) and meet Jeb's supportive/adorable friends by following/retweeting Jeb's story and updates on Twitter @justiceforjeb:
http://twitter.com/justiceforjeb
Jeb is a very friendly little guy. Send him a request; he'd love to be your friend on Facebook;
https://www.facebook.com/jeb.cat.73
Follow/share his story and get status updates on the "Justice for Jeb" Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/justiceforjeb
Watch Jeb do what he does on his YouTube channel, "Jeb the Cat" (more videos coming soon):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2uKQOkOw7WslQJC-apZusg
Behold Jeb's adorableness (he's very photogenic) on Instagram @jebcat (more pics coming soon):
http://instagram.com/jebcat
Jeb's right arm curled up from injury and left untreated by "Vet F".
Very improperly bandaged arm after his 2nd visit to "Vet F".
The day I took my sweet boy home.
1st proper bandage from "Vet A". At his "forever home", but confined to a crate. This is where he's stayed for the last 8 weeks (minus daily "recesses" so he has SOME quality of life). I can't imagine how awful this is for a young kitten who just wants to run around and be ..... a kitten.
Video of damage done seen at "Vet A". This ended up being the only time I would ever see his arm. https://youtu.be/tszGZGVrlXo
Hiding under his cat bed. In case you didn't know, cats hide when they are desperately ill, in horrible pain, or are about to die.
Jeb's 1st "cone of shame" because he couldn't stop gnawing on his arm. It didn't last long. So............
Jeb's 2nd "cone of shame" worked better but it didn't stop his arm from driving him crazy 24/7.
Home after amputation- sad, medicated, and still in terrible pain.
Video of attempt to walk on 3 limbs. Audible exchange of love. https://youtu.be/TsHhICkXXis
Jeb's favorite spot after amputation - my lap.
Us in this together.
Short Story:
Jeb, a 6-month-old kitten, could not be saved from a full arm amputation despite weeks of seeking a solution. The injuries that necessitated amputation were the direct results of animal abuse and repeated veterinary malpractice. Purpose of funding: Assist Jeb's adopter (who is currently disabled and cannot work) with financial hardship from unexpected, large veterinary bills; retain an attorney to take legal action against Jeb's abusers and grossly negligent veterinary clinic. Jeb has paid dearly for the crimes against him. While these criminals continue to go about their lives with no repercussions, Jeb will never be the whole cat he was meant to be and his disabled adopter is facing financial hardship with no way out.
Jeb’s Story:
Hi, my name is Jeb. I am a 6-month-old kitten and I spent 2 months of my very short life suffering and in pain. My arm had to be amputated when I was 3-months-old. I still struggle with getting around and there's a lot of simple things I can't do like a normal kitten should be able to.
How did this happen? Well, let's start at the very beginning. A young girl found my Mama on the streets and grew attached to her. She convinced her Mother (hereon referred to as "Responsible Party") to allow my Mama to stay with them. What they didn't know was my Mama was pregnant with me and my 6 siblings. The Responsible Party allowed my Mama to stay and deliver me and my brothers and sisters. For reasons I don't know, the Responsible Party placed a Craigslist ad to get rid of me, my siblings, and my Mama who her daughter soooo fond of just a few weeks prior. While we were awaiting our new homes, something happened that horribly dislocated my elbow and wrist leaving my arm limp, useless, and in pain. Since I can't tell anyone what exactly happened to me, my foster Mom and my adopter don't really know the truth yet. Later, the Responsible Party would tell my future foster Mom that her adult son stepped on me and that's all my Foster Mom and my adopter know for now. I was only about four weeks old and don't know why I was allowed to be put in harm’s way like that. The Responsible Party eventually took me to the vet (hereon referred to as "Vet F"). My arm was x-rayed and Vet F disclosed to the Responsible Party that I had 2 broken bones (not the two dislocated joints they actually were). Given this information, the Responsible Party elected to do nothing for me. My bones were not reset or repositioned. I didn't even get a splint, bandage, or medicine for the terrible pain I was in. And Vet F allowed the Responsible Party to leave with me in this condition untreated. After 5 of my siblings were adopted, the Responsible Party sought someone to take me, my 1 remaining sibling, and my Mama away to wash her hands of us. Through a series of acquaintances, we were passed off to my foster Mom with no mention of my injuries. When my foster Mom quickly noticed my right arm wasn't "quite right" (see pic), she contacted the Responsible Party and asked what was wrong. The Responsible Party initially denied knowing anything about it. After my foster Mom pressed for details, the Responsible Party said "I think my son stepped on him" and gave her Vet F's information. My foster Mom immediately took me back to Vet F (for the sake of consistency of care) to get me checked and treated. Vet F x-rayed and bandaged my un-set, dislocated boned incorrectly causing me even more pain. When my foster Mom asked if I needed medicine, Vet F told her I was fine, my bones were in line, I didn't need any pain medication, and I should be brought back in 2 weeks to be x-rayed again and have my bandages changed. Vet F used improper bandages that adhered to my fur and skin, trapped dirt and sweat, and caused me even more discomfort. After 2 weeks, my foster Mom brought me back as Vet F instructed. Even with a 2nd set of x-rays (3rd if you include the ones the Responsible Party got), Vet F still said I had two broken bones which wasn't true at all. Vet F said I may need to have my arm amputated because my bones weren't fusing in a timely fashion. My bones were fusing just fine (in their unset and dislocated positions, that is). Vet F told my foster Mom I was bandaged the way I was so I could "grow into" them. Boy, did I! Because my mass of sticky bandages was not changed as it should be (every few days to 1 week, not 2 weeks like Vet F told my foster Mom) and my arm was not cleaned in between changes, even more sweat, filth and adhesive "grew into" my skin and fur. And, my claw pierced and "grew into" my paw pad. Though I was in terrible pain and discomfort, my foster Mom and the woman who would ultimately give me my "forever home" didn't know because I didn't let any of this affect my sweet, friendly disposition at all.
My beautiful Mama and I were the last up for adoption. Adopters didn't want me because of my arm. And they didn't want my Mama because they felt bad taking her away from me in my given injured state. But on December 29th, my adopter came to meet me and took me home, bum arm and all. What my foster Mom and adopter didn't know was how extensive my injuries were and how grossly I was neglected until my adopter took me to her vet (hereon referred to as "Vet A"). But I'll let my adopter tell that part of my story.
I feel very safe and loved in my "forever" home. But I was there for 2 months before I had the privilege of exploring like every cat does. I get excellent medical care. But that meant I was taken in the car (which I'm terrified of) to the vet (which I'm also terrified of) 2-3 times every week since I was adopted and the 3 months to follow.. After many attempts to find a surgeon to save my arm, on January 21st , my adopter was told for the last time that my arm was past saving even before she met me. So, it was amputated that day. After surgery, I woke up in complete shock and had a terrible time coming out of anesthesia. I was thrashing about and screaming for about 8-9 hours in the small carrier I had to be confined in to protect me from myself. After that phase, I was in pain, confused, and panic-stricken so clung as tightly as I could to my adopter. She stayed up with me for 30 hours after my surgery so I was loved, comforted, observed, and had everything I needed/wanted during this scary, traumatic time. After what felt like an eternity, I finally got to play with my new brother and sister and get accustomed to life with 3 limbs. But since my activity had to be restricted for so long, my heart raced, I panted heavily, and my whole body got very hot. The vet said it was because I'm "out of shape". No 3-month-old kitten should be "out of shape". Now, I've gotten most of my strength back but I still get winded and my heart races when I try to keep up with my siblings.
My Adopter’s Story:
Hi, my name is Kristen. I am Jeb's adopter, advocate, and "campaign manager".
My 12-year-old female kitty and I recently lost our very beloved male kitty. He was with her for 10 years and with me for 20 years. My female kitty made it clear she needed a companion, so the search for a new friend began. I found Jeb on a pet locating website. Throughout numerous searches and hundreds of profiles reviewed, I remained drawn to Jeb the whole time. I contacted his foster Mom to see if Jeb would be a compatible addition to our family. Jeb's foster Mom was very upfront with me about Jeb's arm being "broken" in 2 places and that Vet F had said amputation may be necessary because "his bones weren't fusing in a timely fashion". Through research online, I learned that a kitten's broken bone takes about 4-6 weeks to heal. And in more complex cases like Jeb's, they could take up to 16 weeks to heal. So, if the bones were in line and healing at the rate they were, the chances of arm amputation where slim to none. After educating myself about his condition and likely prognosis (as I knew it to be, not what it really was), I felt confident I could take care of him and arranged to meet him. When I did, I could not believe how sweet, friendly, and loving he was considering his physical condition and his surroundings (adoption events can be very stressful and scary for some animals). Not to mention how gorgeously adorable he was in person. Since I was very well versed in pain and the recovery process from the 6 surgeries I had in 2018 alone, I understood him and knew I could provide the patience, understanding, and care he needed. So, I took him home that day. Aside from being the normal amount of fearful of a new place, he was adjusting quickly and a joy to be around. However, as he got more settled in his new home the following day, he started crying a lot in very loud bursts. I was afraid it was cries of pain. Since I had already planned on taking him to my vet ("Vet A") as soon as possible, whatever was bothering him would be addressed the next day, New Year's Eve. What was supposed to be exams and x-rays to see how he was progressing turned into one horrible revelation after another. At the start of his appointment, Vet A's staff contacted Vet F to obtain his prior x-rays. Vet F declined and would only speak directly to Jeb's doctor at Vet A. Vet F was very rude and evasive towards his doctor and told him they only had x-ray films and had no means to send them (which is not true). Jeb was taken in back for x-rays and re-bandaging. After an unusually long time waiting, Jeb's doctor came back and told me Jeb did not have broken bones (as claimed 3 times by Vet F), he had a severely dislocated elbow and wrist. And since so much time had passed and his bones had fused in this terrible configuration, there was little hope of his arm being saved. I was shocked and devastated. After I collected myself, I asked for a referral to an orthopedic surgeon for a second opinion. Jeb was still not ready to go home because Vet A's vet techs were having a terrible time removing Jeb's massive amount of bandaging that had adhered to his skin and fur. After another long wait, I went back to use the bathroom and ran into one of the vet techs who had been working on Jeb. She told me that his arm was completely filthy from the adhesive and sweat because the old bandage had zero breathability. They took a long time cleaning his arm but were unable to get all of it off without causing him more pain (see picture). She also told me his claw had become ingrown into his paw pad.
I was at the vet for 3 hours with multiple trips out to my car to cry. I was filled with a potent mixture of heartbreak and sheer fury over what had been done to him. There were at least 3 opportunities for him to be properly taken care of and his arm easily saved. I see no difference between what the Responsible Party/Vet F did and someone violently yanking his arm out of its sockets, binding the loose bones on top of each other with a mass of filthy, sticky rags, and just leaving him to increasingly suffer with no remorse or mercy.
When we returned home and I got Jeb back in his crate, I just sat there and stared at him for at least an hour. I could not fathom how anyone could be so cruel, abusive, and grossly negligent to this tiny, innocent creature. I sat there and looked at him in pure awe. Now knowing the horrors he had endured, how on Earth could he possibly be so sweet, loving, and affectionate or even think about trusting any human ever again? But he does and I'm truly amazed by him.
I tried so hard to give him every possible shot of being made whole again. He deserved so much more from this world than what he'd been given. But after seeing and talking to so many surgeons who told me "no", I had to make the decision I never wanted for him ..... amputation. I gave him lots of love and kisses and told him everything was going to be okay (even though it was killing me inside). But he knew something was wrong. He stared at me fear-stricken and violently shivered and shook as the doctor took him away from me. "What have I done?", "What if I didn't do enough to save him?, "Will he even survive this major surgery at such a young age?", "Is he going to be okay after it's done?", and "Will he blame me and hate me forever?" were my only thoughts that took turns tormenting me on an endless loop. But, I had to keep my emotions in check for Jeb's sake. I didn't even tell anyone it happened for the first couple of days because, well, I couldn't bring myself to do so. The flood of emotions I was feeling during the whole 30 hours I stayed up with him after surgery had to be stowed far, far away so Jeb saw nothing but smiles instead of the tears, fear, and fury that resided below my surface. Despite this being incredibly hard for me to do, my poker face remained until he was fully recovered.
Why We Need Your Help:
His arm could have been saved on at least 3 separate occasions if he were in the care of a humane person or a competent vet. Instead, his initial injuries went untreated and then made worse when treated by a veterinarian who should have his license revoke for malpractice. Now, he has lost an entire limb. I am aware that many cats and dogs who have amputations carry on to live normal lives. And I will love and care for him as a "tripod" just the same. If Jeb's story wasn't one of people repeatedly abusing/neglecting him and, in turn, ultimately destroying his chance to keep his arm at all, I'd feel differently. Not to mention, cats are NOTORIOUS for hiding what's really going on with them. They may get along and seem fine. But a full amputation is a major operation, major physical loss, and major adjustment for anyone. How often have you seen campaigns against feline declawing because it's cruel amputation of their fingers and toes? Well, try to imagine the cruelty of losing a whole arm.
So, the battle to save Jeb's arm has been lost. But the war against "Responsible Party " and "Vet F" will commence once Jeb is fully recovered. I will not go quietly. I will do everything in my power to avenge Jeb and prevent this from happening to the other patients of Vet F and beyond. But, I need your help. I appreciate your support so far very much. But I'm still sitting with at least $2,500 in Jeb's vet bills that aren't covered by donations which creates a financial hardship I can't fix alone. Normal me would do what I've always done to cover huge vet bills and unexpected expenses, work 2 jobs. But since I'm disabled from a June 2017 car accident (losing my primary job and having my own extensive medical bills because of it), I can't do anything I normally would do. Also, please remember that the full extent of Jeb's injuries and the despicable actions that caused and exasperated his condition were unknown until after I adopted him. So I didn't knowingly bite off more than I could financially chew here. Jeb's situation isn't what I normally deal with as far as huge vet bills go either. This is different. This isn't the kidney disease/failure, terminal cancer, diabetes, etc I've dealt with before. This is needless abuse, neglect, and malpractice. So beyond vet bills, we need funding to retain legal representation to right this wrong and prevent future occurrences.
I've sought help from adoption/rescue organizations and charities only to find their budgets are already stretched thin because their resources are constantly depleted by righting the many wrongs of others as well. I didn't know where else I could turn other than GoFundMe.com to help Jeb and our cause.
Calling All Humanitarians:
This is a heartbreaking and all too common case of abuse, gross neglect, and malpractice. Please help us be free of the unexpected debt incurred for Jeb. Please help me fight back against the people who did this to him and prevent them from inflicting more harm. What if these same people were in charge of your animal's care? If there are no consequences for their actions, what reason would they have to do anything differently for your pet? If this happened to your pet, how much would this break your heart and infuriate you all in the same breath? Our pets are an integral part of our family, our best friends, and sometimes our only friend in our darkest hours. Their unconditional love is a gift and a blessing. They bring joy to pet owners and non-pet owners alike. The advent of online animal videos has generated endless hours of material that make us laugh, pick us up when we're down, touch our hearts, and restore our faith in humanity. That's pretty powerful stuff. The least we can give them in return is protection, care, and a voice.
Please donate and/or retweet/share. Donations are greatly appreciated, but so is something that costs you nothing. Word of mouth has the potential to generate an infinite amount of awareness and support. Right now, this is about one cat. From there it will be about the 100s to 1000s of animals under the care of this grossly incompetent "veterinary" clinic (Vet F). And from there, hopefully enough light is shed on this one case to give momentum to a broader solution for which I'm laying ground work.
If you are an animal rights attorney (or you know one .... preferably in the Greater Los Angeles area) and are moved by Jeb's story and would like to help bring his abusers to justice, please contact me through the GoFundMe.com messaging system or one of the many media outlets I've listed below.
Almost 20 years ago, I was dealing with similar case of animal neglect and malpractice. Try as I might, the army of me only got as far as a report to the Better Business Bureau and an investigation that was dropped after I was no longer a resident of that state. When I fast forward to now where we have a vast array of outlets to connect with each other, unite, inform, and do something more personally profound and effective against these crimes, I’m inspired and moved. I'd love to see what we could achieve.
Please donate/retweet/share to help this cause and spread its existence as far as possible. Thank you so much if you've donated. Thank you for the many forms of support that often helped make the only tears I've allowed myself to shed to be happy tears. Thank you so much for your time. -Jeb and Kristen ❤
Raise awareness for this cause (#justiceforjeb) and meet Jeb's supportive/adorable friends by following/retweeting Jeb's story and updates on Twitter @justiceforjeb:
http://twitter.com/justiceforjeb
Jeb is a very friendly little guy. Send him a request; he'd love to be your friend on Facebook;
https://www.facebook.com/jeb.cat.73
Follow/share his story and get status updates on the "Justice for Jeb" Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/justiceforjeb
Watch Jeb do what he does on his YouTube channel, "Jeb the Cat" (more videos coming soon):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2uKQOkOw7WslQJC-apZusg
Behold Jeb's adorableness (he's very photogenic) on Instagram @jebcat (more pics coming soon):
http://instagram.com/jebcat
Jeb's right arm curled up from injury and left untreated by "Vet F".Very improperly bandaged arm after his 2nd visit to "Vet F".The day I took my sweet boy home. 1st proper bandage from "Vet A". At his "forever home", but confined to a crate. This is where he's stayed for the last 8 weeks (minus daily "recesses" so he has SOME quality of life). I can't imagine how awful this is for a young kitten who just wants to run around and be ..... a kitten.Video of damage done seen at "Vet A". This ended up being the only time I would ever see his arm. https://youtu.be/tszGZGVrlXo
Hiding under his cat bed. In case you didn't know, cats hide when they are desperately ill, in horrible pain, or are about to die.Jeb's 1st "cone of shame" because he couldn't stop gnawing on his arm. It didn't last long. So............Jeb's 2nd "cone of shame" worked better but it didn't stop his arm from driving him crazy 24/7.Home after amputation- sad, medicated, and still in terrible pain.Video of attempt to walk on 3 limbs. Audible exchange of love. https://youtu.be/TsHhICkXXis
Jeb's favorite spot after amputation - my lap.Us in this together.Organizer
Jeb Cat
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA