Animal rescue update: Thirteen cats taken to the vet; more cats, blind pig, chickens need help

This pig at the former Stutzman's is so fat it is mechanically blind.

So far, thirteen cats have been rescued on the former site of the Stutzman's Garden Center and taken to a veterinarian, all but one of them underweight. The one that is not underweight may be pregnant, according to Nick Ormes who is coordinating the rescue of the remaining animals from what was once a popular attraction at the nursery. They have all been put on a special diet, which has become a drain on the resources of Ormes' organization the Ranch Menagerie Animal Sanctuary.

There are still a few animals left to be removed from the property at the behest of the village, Ormes said in a telephone interview, yesterday. Among them are three or four cats that hide whenever they hear his van arrive on his daily trips to feed and rescue the remaining animals. He is working hard to gain their trust and is on the verge of being able to catch one of them that comes close when he offers food.

A rooster, a lame hen and a mother hen with just one chick, make up a family of chickens that he is also close to being able to round up by currying favor with food.

A bigger problem is the two remaining pigs that are grossly overweight due to improper diet. One of them is so fat, folds of skin have closed its eyes so it can no longer see. Ormes has to get them into his van so they can be moved to a farm where he is temporarily lodging the rescued animals. That can be tricky under the best of circumstances, but the blind pig will probably panic when he tries to move it, he said. So, he has also been working to gain their trust as he has fed them everyday since the village asked him to check on the animals on April 7. His plan is to get the pig that can see into his truck first, hoping that the blind pig will hear it and cooperate. The good news is that with proper diet, the pig will lose weight an regain its eyesight, he said.

According to Ormes, village officials will be touring the property this week to check in the condition of the village owned land.

Related post: Checking on the animals at Stutzman's