Taking out the trash is one of those chores that most people don’t put much thought into. It’s just something you have to do, and there isn’t much room for excitement when it comes to hauling the bins down to the curb.
Most of the time, that’s perfectly fine. And unless you find a bunch of raccoons digging through your trash, there aren’t usually any surprises included on garbage day.
That was not the case for one Canadian woman, however. While taking out her trash on what was supposed to be an ordinary day, she couldn’t help but sense that something inside it was moving. What happened next changed a few lives forever…
Jennifer, a resident of Alberta, Canada, who lives with her husband, James, found something shocking when she took out the trash one day in May 2016. Inside the garbage was a backpack, and it almost appeared to be moving.
Jennifer wasn’t sure what to do, but she knew she had to get to the bottom of the mysterious situation. She cautiously opened the backpack, and inside that bag was the last thing she expected to find. That was when she made the shocking discovery…
Inside that backpack was a cat—and an extremely sick one at that! The couple rushed him to the care center and shelter Alberta Animal Services (AAS) to see if they could save his life, but no one was sure whether that was possible. That’s when they realized something else that broke their hearts…
Once they arrived at Alberta Animal Services, the couple discovered that the cat had suffered more abuse than just being forced into a backpack. Somebody had starved him and intentionally injured him to the point that his survival was in question.
Rendered completely blind, the cat also had serious neurological issues, not to mention a fractured pelvis and head injuries. Though some of these wounds seemed recent, others had been sustained over a longer period of time. Additionally, he was weak, malnourished, and he had nearly suffocated from being trapped in the backpack.
Nonetheless, the cat turned out to be a fighter. “He loves everyone,” said Alberta Animal Services director Erica Coomber. She pointed out that he always wanted affection from the rest of the staff.
The Alberta Animal Services staff named him Hiro, after a character from the television drama Heroes. After all, the cat’s inspiring fight for his own life made him incredibly brave! Alberta Animal Services updated its Facebook fans regarding Hiro’s progress. Later in the year, the kitty even started to regain his sight as well as his ability to walk, despite the injury to his pelvis.
By June that same year, Hiro went into surgery to treat his broken hip. Later on, Alberta Animal Services informed supporters on Facebook that he had become mobile again! Soon enough, he would be ready for a foster family.
Meanwhile, Jennifer and James had donated generously to Alberta Animal Services after initially finding Hiro to ensure that he received the best possible treatment. They were confident that he’d find a forever home quickly, though there was a catch…
Jennifer wanted to be the one to adopt him! Luckily, the couple’s efforts to do everything they could for Hiro—including visiting him regularly at the shelter—did not go unnoticed by Alberta Animal Services.
One day, Erica arrived at Jennifer and James’ house—and she brought Hiro along with her. Naturally, he quickly became comfortable with his new surroundings! Shortly after that, the couple created a Facebook page especially for Hiro and announced that he was going to be part of their family.
Jennifer and James decided to keep the first name that Alberta Animal Services gave him, but they also provided him with a last name—Stanley—in honor of Jennifer’s father, who had blood cancer and was given only two years to live.
There was a very good reason for this dedication! Stanley (the human) was a hero himself; he continued to fight cancer for more than 22 years despite his initial diagnosis. Jennifer thought he and the cat actually had a lot in common.
Despite having a mentor in the form of his namesake, things weren’t going to be easy for Hiro. He cried whenever Jennifer or James were out of sight, and he couldn’t sleep without them physically comforting him. Once asleep, he would still cry. He even appeared to have nightmares.
Eventually, though, that turned out to be a temporary phase, and Hiro learned to sleep peacefully throughout the night. He became more calm during the daytime, too. Better yet? He even made a new cat friend to keep him company when Jennifer and James weren’t around!
Sadly, it looked like whoever abused Hiro would never be brought to justice. According to Erica, Alberta Animal Services suspected that they knew who it was, but they lacked sufficient evidence to prosecute them. At the very least, Hiro was now safe from harm, and that was all that mattered.
Hiro’s story also sparked a movement to help other animals in need of forever families. In June 2017, the Alberta Animal Services celebrated the one-year anniversary of Hiro’s rescue with an adoption event called “Super Hiro,” featuring its namesake as a special guest.
Jennifer couldn’t be happier to show off how healthy and happy Hiro had become, as well as helping the other animals get adopted. She even made tiny capes for all of the cats! All in all, it was a successful celebration for Hiro and his friends.
If you love Hiro’s story and want to keep learning more about how he’s doing, you can follow him on his Facebook page. Jennifer and James update it on a regular basis with photos and videos.
There are still some things that Hiro is a little bit scared about, such as getting his annual animal injections, but overall, life seems to keep getting better and better for the little guy and his new family!
