This paralyzed "mermaid" cat is in need of a special wheelchair... will you help?

Dasha the Mermaid Kitty Needs your Help

FRANKY FUND ANIMAL, DONATIONS NEEDED. This is Dasha. We can’t even imagine the life this sweet, four-month-old girl had before finding a safe haven here at BARCS. When Dasha was just four weeks old, she was accidentally slammed in a door. It took Dasha’s initial owners more than two months before taking action and bringing Dasha to the vet, or elsewhere for help.Now, Dasha appears to be partially paralyzed from the waist down. She does have some feeling in her back legs but cannot use them to get around.When Dasha arrived at our shelter she was soaked in her own urine, from not being able to use her hind legs. She does, however, have anal tone and can go to the bathroom all by herself. Though she's still mastering the art of the litter box, Dasha is currently using a diaper to keep her neat and clean.Be assured, Dasha is happy. She is not suffering. This wonderful baby is loving, affectionate and completely trusting of humans, even after all she’s been through. You can see in the video how she promptly “mermaids” across the floor to get a loving hand to scratch the side of her face.Dasha is being set up with an appointment with our generous Franky Fund neurologist to see the extent of the damage, but we're not optimistic that she will regain the use of her legs. Luckily for Dasha, the absence of pain, means she can still live a good life—under the watchful eye of veterinarians—and remain the magical mermaid kitty she already is.We are hoping to use donations to have a custom-fitted wheel chair made for her, and cover the costs of her veterinary appointments.We are entering this medical journey with Dasha with no way of knowing how much it is ultimately going to cost to give her the best life possible. But, because she’s fought this long, we are prepared to care for her however she needs, and then ultimately—when she is ready—find her the best adopter.We are able to help pets like Dasha because of community support and donations. Our shelter just had the top trending viral video in the world. And while it was amazing press for our organization, we did not receive any increase in donations. Now we need your help.We honor the lives of pets like Dasha by using funds from our Franky Fund to save them—send them to the best specialists in our area. Just because we are a shelter, does not mean that animals get anything less than superior care.Any donations made exceeding the cost of Dasha’s medical bills will help other pets who need emergency care—there will be dozens more special, medical cases this month alone.Donate for Dasha’s care at https://bit.ly/BARCSdonate

Posted by BARCS Animal Shelter on Thursday, March 3, 2016