“Dustie, lets go!” my mom yelled as I headed toward the car. My family and I had decided that it was time to expand the family, by getting another cat. We were headed to Haven Humane Society, to find a gray little kitten. When we got there, there were so many different kittens to choose from. But my mom said that she really wanted a gray kitten. Of course there was not one gray kitten there. So my mom said that we could just keep checking back and look for in the paper. But then I walked over to a cage that had three or four small yellow kittens. From that moment on, I wanted on of them. I begged my mom and dad to get a small yellow male kitten with extra toes. They finally caved and allowed me to take that one home. I named him Scott. He was so cute; I just wanted to spend all of my time with him. We had a great life together. It was the Christmas morning of 1997. I had gotten up early and already opened my presents. The family including my grandmother, were all eating breakfast when I heard a noise that still haunts me. It was the sound of a cat in pain. As I looked on the back patio I saw Scott, he was lying on his side having a seizure, he was lying in a pile of blood. My parents rushed him to the vet. Scott has been shot at least one time in the chest with a pellet or beebee gun. He had an oxygen tube inserted and was put in an air camber. The vet kept us updated every hour, which was very scary; never knowing what she would say when she called. Once Scott was stabilized my mind was at rest. He had successfully made it through the hardest 24 hours my mind was placed at rest, somewhat. The next day my dad and I went skiing. We called my mom every two hours from the ski park to check on Scott’s status. Everything looked as though he would pull through but have a tough recovery. When my father and I returned home at about 11 p.m. my mom had a very grim look on her face. As we walked through the door she started crying and at that point I knew that my beloved cat had died. I was petrified at the news and spent several hours in my room crying. The vet had down all that she could to save him but he gave up. My mom had gone to visit him a few hours before and everything had seemed fine. From that day on I became very aware about pet abuse and animal testing. I became a strict vegetarian and stopped uses most types of make up and shampoo unless they said that they were against animal testing. My family and I did everything we could to find out who had done this to our cherished cat. It could have easily been a child as it was our cat. People need to treat animals better and understand that to some people they mean so much. I never thought that I could forget the images of my cat lying there dying but I try my best to not think of that anymore. Scott will be always remaining in our thoughts and hearts. I hope that he is in a place were there are no guns and everyone is nice and caring. I am sure that Scott is living a wonderful life in heaven with a special angle as his new companion, well that is until I get there. I hope that in the future people will understand that violence, in any case, is terrible, and that they should never abuse their animals or subject them to death. A Prayer for Animals Hear our humble prayer O God, For our friends the animals. Especially for the animals that are suffering; For any that are hunted or lost or Deserted or frightened or hungry; For all that must be put to death. We entreat for them all thy mercy and pity, And for those who deal with them, We ask a heart of compassion And gentle hands and kindly words. Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals And so to share the blessings of the merciful.