Kayla Cooper Owner, Vanity Fur Grooming Supporter of SPCA St. John’s It was a cat hoarding situation, so no one expected a dog. But there was Cecil, alone in a box, his fur matted and covered in feces. The smell was almost unbearable. And Cecil was scared. When someone takes in more animals than they can properly care for, it is called animal hoarding. It is a complex issue, and there are usually underlying mental health issues. Most hoarders truly believe they are helping. They bring home animals in need, sometimes failing to realize the animal is pregnant or has health issues. Litters are born, more animals are brought home and the numbers climb quickly until the situation spirals out of control. Despite their good intentions, animal hoarders’ own troubles can blind them to the animals’ suffering. It’s a heartbreaking situation.
Cecil went to a foster home, but Kayla kept in contact with his fosterer through texts and photos. She would tell her husband about the dog who had a hold on her heart. And then, on her 29th birthday, Kayla’s husband surprised her with Cecil. “I cried happy tears—we could give Cecil the home and love he truly deserved.” Now Cecil is a mellow dog living his best retirement life. “If he could drink Tetley tea, he would,” Kayla laughs, adding they have nicknamed him “Unicorn” because he seems magical and can read her mood. “If I’m excited, he’s prancing around. If I’m sad or having a hard day, he’s right there, cuddled into me. He is the sunshine to my mornings. I thank the Regional SPCA St. John’s for allowing Cecil to be a part of our family.”
They provide unconditional love.
Kayla Cooper is a Seal Cove groomer who often donates her time to the SPCA. When Cecil was found three years ago, she provided services to the 11-year-old dog. She began to shave him and discovered chicken wire embedded in his fur. When she was done, it was obvious how emaciated the malnourished dog had become. A cat lover who already had two rescue cats, Kayla immediately fell for the dog. “When I met Cecil that day,” she says, “it was love at first sight.”
The Inspiring Poppy Cecil 15
