Chester was an adorable and defenseless 3 or 4 month-old orange tabby when he was hit by a car. Someone was scooping him off the street when a good samaritan, who happens to be terrified of cats, picked him up. Ignoring her fear, she put him in a box, and immediately contacted “The Black Thornberry” Animal Rescue for help.

Guardian Angels

Nina Love, the selfless creator of “The Black Thornberry” non-profit rescue program, was having a dinner meeting downtown Philadelphia when she got a call for help. She got a DM from a woman who had just picked up an injured orange tabby that had been ran over by a car. Sadly, this kind woman saw the staff at a nearby car wash about to pick him up with a dust pan to throw him away, like he was trash! However, she took it upon herself to try to help him. Right after Nina arrived to pick him up, she took him to the vet.

Photos Via Instagram and Facebook

Chester was rushed to PASE (Philadelphia Animal Specialty & Emergency), and was immediately evaluated. After being given analgesics and an X-Ray, he was diagnosed with a left rear leg fracture, and head trauma, and was treated for both.

After a few weeks of crate rest our feisty Chester was not particularly happy about, he had a follow-up X-Ray, which revealed that he had healed completely! We bet he couldn’t wait to get the heck outta that crate!

A Voice For The Voiceless

Having dealt with bullying as a young kid, Nina Love found comfort and a purpose in caring for animals.

“Dealing with school and kids, that whole bullying thing, I felt like, then, they saved me. so I wanted to go out in the community and give them a second chance at life.”

Although she found a lack of diversity when it comes to the rescue community, she took it upon herself to help change that. One of her favorite cartoons was “the wild thornberrys”, in which the main character could speak to animals. This is where the idea came from for her black-owned non-profit organization’s name.

As the head of “The Black Thornberry”, she, along with her daughter Arianna, work tirelessly to provide rehab and forever homes to countless animals. They are also active in TNR services and has even paid out-of-pocket to help animals in need. It takes a special kind of person to turn disregard and neglect into active care. She has a Patreon page, a Facebook page, and an Instagram account.You can watch her interview at the Ellen Show with guest host tWitch below:

Back to Our Treasure, Chester!

Treasure!

Orange cutie pie Chester found his forever home shortly after, and, thanks to everyone involved, he couldn’t be happier!

Nina commented on a facebook post:

[…] Every cat has a story, and it’s up to us to change how the story ends. In a home, filled with love and a place where they can feel safe. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason so I’m happy we could help.Happy Holidays to Chester and his new family!

Adventures

Thank goodness for the compassionate woman who picked Chester up. Regardless of being scared of cats, she overcame her fears and decided to heed the call for help nonetheless.Big thanks to Nina Love, the kindhearted mastermind behind “The Black Thornberry”. She took Chester to the emergency room without a second thought.Also, thanks to all the staff and volunteers at “PASE” and “The Black Thornberry”. They contributed to the recovery and wellbeing of our lovely Chester.And, finally, thanks to the family who received Chester with open arms. They provided a wonderful forever home and their lives changed forever. Treasures tend do that.