05/20/2026
On April 8th, we were honored to bring sweet Opal into our care so she could spend the rest of her days surrounded by love at the sanctuary.
She weighed just under 4 pounds and came to us with multiple congenital deformities. Her tiny left arm was malformed, ending in just one little claw. She was painfully underweight, bloated, and struggling with what we were initially told were “heart concerns.”
But after seeing a cardiologist, we learned the truth...Opal had an incredibly rare heart deformity, one so unique that the specialist said they had never seen anything like it before.
We already knew she was special. That diagnosis only confirmed what our hearts already felt the moment we met her.
Opal quickly found comfort and companionship with our paraplegic cat, Skipper, and the two became inseparable. They spent their days together like two little old ladies who had finally found the friend they were always meant to have. We truly believed they would live out the rest of their lives side by side.
But heartbreakingly, Opal’s time with us was far too short.
Last night, we rushed her to the emergency hospital, where we were told she had suffered an embolism and may have internal bleeding. There was nothing more that could be done. Faced with the most painful decision, we chose to let her pass peacefully, surrounded by the people who loved her instead of letting her be alone.
Even though we only had Opal for a short time, the impact she made on us is immeasurable. She was extraordinary, gentle, brave, and deeply loved. The sanctuary feels a little emptier without her, but we are so grateful she knew love, safety, and family in her final days.
Run free, sweet girl. You will stay in our hearts forever.
We love you, Opal.
“It’s Alright,
You were dancing through the lightning strikes,
Sleepless in the onyx night,
But now the sky is opalite,
Oh oh oh oh, oh my Lord,
Never made no one like you before, no
You had to make your own sunshine
But now the sky is opalite” - Taylor Swift
