'The cat nobody wanted' gets adopted after heart-wrenching video on Facebook
GASTON COUNTY, NC (WBTV) - On Wednesday morning at 10 a.m., Karrie Brotzman with Gaston County's Animal Care and Enforcement, decided to post a video of the only cat remaining in their shelter.
"I just knew one of our regulars would see it and come adopt him, but it went crazy on social media," Brotzman said.
The video was an 18 second clip that panned around the adoptable cat area and showed all the kennels empty, except for one.
Meko was the lonely cat. In the video, he pawed at the front of his kennel when the camera came to him.
It was heart-wrenching, and it spread like wildfire on Facebook.
Hundreds of people shared the video which asked for someone to come adopt Meko in time for Christmas.
One of those people was a woman in New Jersey, who sent the story to her dad who lives in Gaston County.
"She told me that he was the last one there, and they wanted somebody to come get him for Christmas," John Kurowski said.
Kurowski has a huge heart for animals, especially cats. He was parked in the Ingle's grocery store parking lot in Dallas when his daughter texted him. He drove straight to the shelter just a few miles away. He didn't even call his wife to ask her.
"I called her after I got him," Kurowski said with a sly smile.
The power of social media can be used for both good and bad. In this case, it was used to find a home for a kitty, just in time for Christmas.
"He'll be loved that's for sure," Kurowski said.
When asked how she felt about her simple idea to put the video on social media, Brotzman's eyes filled up with tears, "We all work really hard, day in and day out. And we're proud of the job we do. When other people see that and other people want to be a part of it, this is why I do this."
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