In September 2017, hundreds of animals were rescued from Hurricane Irma — the fifth-costliest Atlantic hurricane of all time — and transferred to shelters farther north. Many of them made the journey from South Florida to Charleston to Charlotte, transported in small vans full of crates.
Two weeks after these animals arrived at the Humane Society of Charlotte, Adam (my boyfriend) and I visited to look around, unaware that there was recently an influx of new rescues. Though we often stopped by HSOC just to say hi to the animals, it was no secret I had been wanting a cat of my own for a while.
When we walked into the "adult" cat room, all of the cats were taking a nap — except for one. The one who caught our eye was a spry and mischevious 3-year-old female. She was also bugging all of the other cats while they tried to sleep. The volunteer who was working with the cats that day said they had a baby gate up specifically because of her; she often tried to sprint out of the room when people weren't paying attention. Aptly, her name was Storm. Though we assume she was given this name because of the hurricane from which she was rescued, we're convinced there was a double-meaning.
As we were leaving that day, the volunteer at the front desk asked if there was anyone we particularly liked. I immediately mentioned Storm, and the volunteer responded with, "She's a popular one! I'm sure she won't be here for long." We drove away assuming we might not see her again.
The following Monday, Adam and I decided to check out the adoption center at Petco in Huntersville just out of curiosity. We saw some cute kittens on their website over the weekend and wanted to meet them. As we sat in traffic on our way there, I muttered that maybe we should just turn around and go home. However, we kept driving and got to Petco 15 minutes before closing time.
When we walked back to the adoption center, we were disappointed to see most of the cages empty. There was a black cat named Darth Vader, along with another in the corner who didn't have a nametag yet. We took a closer look and realized it was Storm. I couldn't believe the coincidence that she was transferred the same day we decided to visit, but the worker at Petco verified it was her. (We'll never know why she was transferred, but it probably had something to do with her annoying all of the other cats at the Humane Society.)
In a span of about 5 minutes after petting her and playing with her, the worker said they were about to close. I asked if I could fill out an application and get back to them, but they said I'd need to bring her home that night if I decided to submit an application. Within 10 minutes, we adopted Storm, put her crate in a shopping cart, and loaded it up with food, supplies, and a cozy bed. In a frenzy, we grabbed a collar and needed to decide on a name for the tag. I typed in "VIOLET" — the name I had originally intended to use for a human child someday — and the rest is history.
Despite how much our story sounds like a Hallmark movie, Violet would've never come into our lives without the bravery and hard work of rescuers across the East Coast. We've decided to participate in the annual Pet Palooza walk to pay it forward and support those who gave our little ray of light a chance at a safer and happier life. Please join us and support our fundraising efforts to help the furry friends who love us unconditionally.
Thank you for your generosity, and remember: adopt, don't shop!