North Dakota’s ARRR Rescue Hopes You Have Room in Your Home and in Your Heart for Panther

Animal Rescue and Retirement Ranch Inc., of Williston is a 501c-3 non profit farm animal sanctuary and cat rescue, shelter and adoption facility.

ARRR is funded almost entirely by The Captain and Mrs. ARRR. The rescue and ranch has limited staff.

This article is difficult, yet hopeful. It is a last ditch effort, a last hope to save Panther, and I ask for your help.

I'll tell you a little of his story, which is a little of ARRR's story; how Panther changed their course, thereby saving hundreds of other cats. And how his life now hangs in the balance.

When the Captain and Mrs. ARRR first formed the plans for the Animal Rescue and Retirement Ranch, they had no intentions of getting into cat adoptions; they were strictly a large animal sanctuary.

Then, one day, ARRR was contacted about four cats who were scheduled to be euthanized the following day. They'd been pulled from the City Pound, though they were deemed too feral and too mean to be adopted. To save them from being put down, ARRR agreed to take them.

The cats were set up in the shop, a shop that still had equipment driving in and out. Panther, his best friend, and two others became the "original four". As it turned out, they weren't feral at all!

The original four began to reveal their wonderful personalities and won over hearts. The equipment was evicted, and as time and money allowed, ARRR began converting the shop into a safe and comfortable place for cats.

ARRR was getting many calls begging for help with cats so they were taking in more and more, then they hired additional help to keep up with the work load, and thus began the adoption program. All because of Panther, his best friend, and their two buddies.

Now, about Panther...

Of the original four, two were adopted into great homes; just Panther and his best friend remained. Sadly, black cats are the least likely to get adopted, so despite his sweet personality, it was thought Panther might end up being a life-long resident at ARRR.

And they were okay with that. Until last year when Panther's best friend died. Losing his best friend was extremely hard on Panther. He is now the last of the original four.

And he is struggling. He has bouts of vomiting and diarrhea. He's been to the Vet a number of times. They've done a full work-up on him, and his bloodwork came back looking great. In fact, everything looks great! The only exception being an overgrowth of bacteria in the intestine, which causes the problems.

He's had several rounds of prebiotics and his Vet has given antibiotic injections. This works, but only for a few weeks and then they cycle starts all over. The Vet says that this cycle will continue, the medication is not intended for long-term use, and she believes his illness is stress induced. If Panther isn't adopted into a home, she recommends euthanasia.

Living in a cat colony as large as the one at ARRR is just too much for sweet Panther to continue to do with his best friend no longer at his side. Panther needs a home where he can be the focus of attention, where he doesn't have to compete with fifty other cats.

The hope is that a reduction in Panther's stress will greatly reduce or even eliminate his health problems.

Panther has now been living at the ARRR for seven years. He's always been easy-going, confidant, active, affectionate, and until recently, he was very healthy. It will break many hearts if Panther has to be euthanized.

This loving cat has been waiting his entire life for a proper home in which to live out his remaining years. ARRR would be happy to work in support of his adopter, however needed.

Panther gets along with kids and other cats - just not 50 of them.

If you have room in your home and in your heart for Panther, please email ARRR  arrr5292@gmail.com

Please share his story. We just need to find one person, that one right person... for Panther. Adoption will save his life.