“I saw his one-of-a-kind face on the website and knew he was mine,” says Hailey, a community member who adopted a very special cat, then known as TJ Eckleburg, from Dane County Humane Society (DCHS).
TJ Eckleburg came to DCHS from Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC). He was born with a condition called eyelid agenesis, which means part of his eyelids did not develop before birth. Because he was missing most of his eyelids, his eyelashes and fur rubbed on his sensitive eyes, which caused chronic irritation and could potentially lead to ulcers. Furthermore, as he couldn’t blink, his eyes would dry out.
The poor kitty faced daily discomfort.
MADACC didn’t have the capacity to manage TJ Eckleburg’s complex medical issues, which would require a surgical procedure and follow-up exams. Fortunately for him, DCHS did.
DCHS has the ability to transfer animals in need of medical assistance, like TJ Eckleburg, from other shelters to ours. Many animal shelters and rescues don’t have their own veterinarian on site. Because of the incredible support from people in our community like YOU, we have a highly skilled veterinary team right here in our facility who can perform emergent and routine medical procedures for our animals.
When you give between Saturday, November 30th, and 11:59pm on #GivingTuesday, December 3rd, thanks to our generous matching challengers, you can DOUBLE your impact for animals in need, including those with complex medical challenges just like TJ Eckleburg.
Two days after he arrived, TJ Eckleburg underwent his transformative surgery. To repair his eyelid agenesis, our veterinarians performed a Switch Flap Reconstruction: they took a portion of each lower eyelid and moved it to the upper. With this reconstruction, they created a complete eyelid and relieved TJ Eckleburg’s discomfort. They neutered him at the same time, so he wouldn’t have to undergo a separate surgery.
The procedure was a success, and TJ Eckleburg recovered well. He could even see better than he could when he first arrived, and based on his behavior, our veterinarians were confident his eyes were quite comfortable. He was ready to find his new family.
His smaller-than-normal eyes gave him a unique look, but clearly this just made Hailey adore him more. She took him home just nine days after he was made available for adoption.
“TJ Eckleburg was immediately renamed Tunnel Bob, as an homage to the local legend of UW-Madison, where my fiancé and I graduated from,” Hailey shares.
“TB settled into his new home within hours, playing with us and sitting on my fiancé’s lap,” Hailey continues. “He does not let his limited vision stop him from being a normal cat, even when he bumps into chairs and gets stuck in closets. He spends his days play-hunting us, eating premium wet food, and lounging on a heated blanket. He was leash-trained easily and goes on daily walks in our neighborhood. Every night, Mr. Bob sleeps in between us.
“He is a loving companion,” Hailey says. “We don’t know how we were ever happy without him.”
DCHS is so grateful for open-hearted community members like Hailey and her fiancé and for generous supporters like YOU who make happy new beginnings for animals like Tunnel Bob possible. Double your impact today so even more animals can receive skilled veterinary care and find families who can’t imagine ever being happy without them.
