What a hero!
Have you heard of Buddy the cat? Buddy’s story has a little bit of everything: narrowly avoiding death, making the ultimate comeback and sharing his miracle to save others.
Once upon a time, Buddy was just your average neighborhood feline. The Philly street cat would traipse around the block winning hearts wherever he’d roam. Until one day, a couple of teenage boys sicced their two dogs on the poor guy. A surveillance camera caught the brutal attack and eventually a man came to the rescue.
From there, things looked bleak. Buddy was already bleeding internally and had a heart rate nearly twice what it should have been by the time he reached the BluePearl emergency veterinary facility. The vets didn’t know if he’d make it through.
Don’t worry, this story has a happy ending.
The video has since been taken down due to its graphic content, but not before going viral. It wasn’t long before the Pennsylvania SPCA received a flood of inquiries, messages and donations of money and cat treats. And not just from Philadelphia, or the United States, for that matter. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Buddy receiving donations from Europe, Asia and Australia. People around the globe were rooting for his recovery.
Not only did Buddy pull through, he received a whopping $100,000. PSPCA spokeswoman Gillian Kocher told the Inquirer “this is the biggest outpouring of support we have had for a single animal in the last decade. There is nothing that comes close to it.”
With all that money left over, the PSPCA was able to create a Buddy fund to help care for other abused animals, including medical care and prosecuting their offenders (thankfully, Buddy’s attackers ended up turning themselves in).
Buddy doesn’t seem to mind parting with the cash. He’s purrfectly happy helping others while lounging on his white blankie.
The PSPCA even made adorable T-shirts and stickers that say “Save Every Buddy.” The T-shirts alone have raised more than $30,000. This kitty’s popularity just won’t stop.
As for Buddy, he’s living his second life in luxury. He went home for foster care with Katie Venanzi, the BluePearl vet who took care of him the night of the incident on April 1. But according to Audacy, Venanzi hopes to make Buddy a permanent family member.
Check out this adorable photo of Buddy snuggling up next to his new brother Teddy.
Even after finding his new home, it looks like Buddy will remain a social media star. He has a loyal audience who regularly read his blog and eagerly await his videos, which are always a hit, even though it’s usually just him playing with his toys. The PSPCA jokingly complains that they can’t go longer than a day without some kind of Buddy post.
He even receives fan mail, which goes straight to a dedicated bulletin board.
Kocher told the Inquirer, “Everyone is very invested in this cat. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I could post his left ear, and people would go crazy about it.” She thinks it’s for the hope he instills in others. “Out of something pretty horrible can come so much good. Despite bad things happening, there is still so much good in the world.”
Buddy’s story might have begun with tragedy, but kindness and compassion won in the end. We are so happy this kitty has not only survived, but is thriving and inspiring.