Like so many other animal rescue groups, the non-profit, all-volunteer, no-kill group CARMA in Corrales, NM, was in need of donations. Even though they held adoption clinics every weekend at Petsmart, the public seemed relatively unaware of them and their accomplishments. They were struggling to keep their rescue and medical assistance efforts going. Then suddenly something changed.
After rescuing 30 cats from the apartment of a disabled man who was about to be evicted, all but one cat was adopted or placed in a foster home. The cat which was left behind was a smokey tortoiseshell adolescent named "Slate." This cuddly, lip-kissing cat was thought to be a shoe-in for adoption until his blood test results found he was positive for feline leukemia. While he had no symptoms, he carried a potentially lethal cat disease that made it impossible for him to go to a home with healthy cats. CARMA was saddened and desperate.
As chance would have it, one of their members received an e-mail about an upcoming conference on how to enhance their visibility efforts. As promotion for the conference, there were free teleseminars on topics to be covered. The first one was how to create no-cost publicity. It was an eye-opener. In five days CARMA sent out a carefully-crafted media release to local papers, such as the Albuquerque Journal, and local television stations.
CARMA members used word of mouth to let everyone know about their search for a shelter or foster home for Slate. While CARMA was contacting shelters around the country, looking for an opening for Slate, the media were beginning to follow up on this heart-breaking story. Surprisingly a three-quarter-page spread with photo layout appeared in the Sunday Edition.
Finally CARMA found a shelter specifically for FELV+ cats. But they said they had no room. Strangely, the next morning they called back to welcome Slate as their new resident. The only problem now was that the shelter was over a thousand miles away. Both delighted and chagrinned, CARMA tried to arrange a "waggin' train" to pass Slate from one driver to another until he arrived at his destination. Another snag. There were not enough drivers for the different legs of the trip.
Word of Slate's month-long plight continued to spread. Then out of the blue someone donated an airline ticket for him. Next someone who was traveling in that direction volunteered to be his companion. A third person donated a year's worth of care at $15 per month for Slate at his new home. The media again covered Slate but this time on his series of little miracles.
While this was great for Slate, CARMA still needed more donations to cover their everyday work. To everyone's surprise, on Monday the phone to began to ring incessantly with offers of help. A sack of mail brought notes of congratulation, many with accompanying checks.
What CARMA learned quickly from the Slate incident is what Louis Pasteur said, "Chance favors the prepared mind." They are now taking advantage of their many heart-warming and heart-breaking pet rescue circumstances and keeping their work visible however they can.
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