As if rescue groups didn’t have enough to deal with – now add robbery to the list. Last night, Elaine Lyford-Nojima, head of the East Bay Maine Coon Adoptions, was robbed while she was trying to rescue a dog running in traffic in downtown Oakland. While she was returning home – not surprisingly with a cat in the car – Lyford-Nojima saw the dog dodging traffic. She didn’t waste a minute. She pulled over to the side of the road, grabbed her car keys, and raced out to try and catch the dog before a car hit it.
Despite her attempts to rescue the little dog, she was unsuccessful. But that wasn’t all. With the dog’s safety her most pressing concern, Lyford-Nojima had forgotten to lock her car. On returning to the vehicle, she found she had been robbed. Not only did the thieves get her money and credit cards, they got valuable supplies for the cats. They took a microchip scanner, medicines and a camera used for adoption photos. Fortunately, the rescued cat Lyford-Nojima had with her was unharmed. The total cost of all the cat supplies exceeds $500.
Elaine Lyford-Nojima and her group work tirelessly to save cats – and now you can see, dogs too. If you’d like to help Maine Coon Adoptions with a contribution to replace the lost items, you can make a donation at the organization’s website at www.mainecoonadoptions.com/.
Comments
Barbara, thank you so much for writing about this. Hearing from people who care really helps. I'm one of the volunteers of the rescue group Elaine works, and I'm grateful the rotten person who took advantage of this situation didn't hurt Elaine or the kitty in her car.
Thank you, Barbara...your column exposes how violating it is, not only when anyone is robbed, but when REALLY good people in the act of doing REALLY good work are harmed like this.
I was one of the MCA volunteers who was on Elaine's delivery list last night...bringing me a recently-rescued foster kitten, after dark, in Marin County, then on to another appointment, then another, and STILL out working later at night. Then, when the opportunity to do the right thing presented itself, she didn't hesitate, but jumped right in trying to save yet another animal. And for this, she, and her organization, and, eventually, the animals in some way, are harmed.
The best outcome is that your publicity of this disgusting event will bring forward many good souls who will want to help Elaine and MCA recover from this. As for the robbers, well, it's doubtful they have souls...karma will dictate their reward.
I thank the heavens that Elaine was not hurt. And that the rescued kitty remained safe in Elaine's vehicle. I'm sorry the little dog was too frightened to trust Elaine and be rescued.
May the heavens ensure that the scum who stole the items be justifiably punished for their heartless deed.
Thank you, Elaine, for your tireless efforts in saving so many cats in need. And thank you, Barbara K, for keeping us informed.
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