Froggie’s Story
“In the spring of 2002 a skinny and bedraggled stray tomcat wormed his way into our hearts; little did we know at the time what an impact he would have on our lives. It was obvious at first glance that this tom had been in numerous scuffles to defend his territory. A scarred nose, notched ears, and a split in his tongue were only a few of the war wounds he carried. Sara (Froggie’s Pond Co-Founder) brought him to Turner Vet Clinic (where she works) to have him examined and tested for FeLV and FIV by Dr. Ben Huelsbergen (Froggie’s Pond Co-Founder). When he tested positive for FIV we were not surprised. Torn as to how to proceed, Sara asked if he could stay at the clinic for a few days while she found a place for him to live.
A few days turned into weeks and then months. His pleasant and loving demeanor won over the hearts of the clinic staff and clients. Needless to say he became a permanent resident and beloved greeter to the clients coming to the clinic. His pitiful meow sounded more like a squawk or croak, so he quickly earned the name Froggie.
Over the next few years numerous cats came through Turner Veterinary Clinic that were FeLV or FIV positive and in need of homes. Oliver, Polly, Buddy, Oliver-Marshall, Tweety, Callum, to name only a few. Over these years we have not been able to take in every FeLV/FIV positive cat due to space limitations within the clinic. Some were placed with shelters that accept FeLV/FIV cats, while others were lucky enough to get adopted.
In early 2007 Sara & Ben happened to visit a shelter in Grand Rapids, Michigan called Crash’s Landing and their FeLV/FIV branch – Big Sid’s Sanctuary. We were so impressed by this volunteer run organization and the importance of such a sanctuary, that we felt the need to expand our small FeLV/FIV sanctuary into a full Non-Profit organization.
By July 2007 we had filed with the State of Michigan to become Froggie’s Pond. In a sad twist of fate, Froggie passed away 2 days after having the Sanctuary accepted as a Michigan Non-Profit organization. We suspect he knew the legacy he had left was beyond compare and it was time to move on. He was a trooper until the end. We feel honored to run an organization inspired by our memories of Froggie.”