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| The story of Gandolf�. A tragic death 15 years in the making. As told by his foster Mom, Kim Hanks. All of this takes place in a small town in South-western Virginia, called Rural Retreat. It started out just like they always do. A little lost cat needing food and shelter. Gandolf was beautiful, a gray-Persian mix cat. He was male and about one year old. He wasn�t really trusting at first. He also enjoyed beating up on my other cats. But I enjoyed his company, and grew to love Gandolf. I knew his time with me would be short because of his beauty and his health. I found someone that wanted dear Gandolf. She passed my entire test, and was thrilled that this beauty of a cat was going to come and live at her home. I tearfully sent him on his way to his new forever home. Even though I knew Ann loved him�I missed him immensely and hated to see him go. After he moved in with Ann, I visited on several occasions. Gandolf was doing well. Adjusting to his new home and surroundings. And I could surely tell he loved his new Mom. I thought all was well. But there was terror lurking in the shadows that I knew nothing about. Seems as for many years, 10 to 15, to be exact�a person has been trespassing around Ann's house. He would on many occasions enter her home. Never stealing any thing. Just moving things so she would know someone had been inside her �safe place�. The local officials had been called over 30 times in 2 years. Still this guy remained uncaught and did as he pleased. Ann began to get very agitated about the situation and installed a security system. Then this mere trespasser got deathly violent. The first thing to be done was he fed anti-freeze to her fenced in dogs. Some lived others did not. They received emergency medical care. Ann was heartbroken and very disturbed. Then a dear sweet mother cat that had been dropped at Ann's house was beaten. She was beaten so badly on her hindquarters that the vet, Dr. Taylor seemed to think a car had hit her. But there was the tongue. Someone had sliced the tongue straight off. A thing that could not have happened because of an accident. After the mother cat recovered, Ann came home to find her tied by the hind legs in a tree. The cat has since vanished from Ann's. No body was ever found. The next victim was a young tortoise-shell kitten named Flash. He was taken from Ann's yard, beaten, hind leg was partially severed. The vet treated him and his leg was amputated. He is now doing very well. But since the leg was severed he has now lost part of his tail. Then the last victim of this coward was precious Gandolf. You see Ann made a mistake�on a pretty spring day she let Gandolf out to play. This was March 24, 2002�. my birthday. He did not return, alive that is. He was lured from her yard, taken to some terrible place and beaten and tortured severely. He also had his tongue sliced from his mouth. Every single bone in his body was broken. And things ever worse. That I choose not to tell. Then this �thief of lives� returned the innocent life-less creature to Ann's yard. On her desperate search for Gandolf she found his little life-less body in her front yard. She was totally frantic. Grabbing his limber little body up to see if there were signs of life. It was to late for Gandolf. This person had taken a precious ones life. The police and animal control came. Two days later. It was too late to have a necropsy on Gandolf. In Ann's terror she had put him to rest. The police didn�t seem too concerned and assured Ann there would be an investigation on the whole thing. A crime many years in the making. So when I found out about the incident, I did a little checking on my own. No one would speak to me about the case. Then Ann tried to contact those in charge and they would not speak to her. She was very frightened, afraid to even go out into her yard. And never were her grandchildren allowed to go out and play. So that is when I knew I must take matters into my own hands. I wrote every local official I could find an address for. I was getting no response at all. I sent tons of e-mails�made 1000�s of phone calls and wrote letters by the hundreds. Not one single person would speak to me about the death of this �just a cat�. I was very angered by all of this. Finally the office of the governor regarding my letter contacted me. Seems as thought the governor Mark Warner was very upset. No one was even checking into these crimes. So he sent an investigator to my house. I filed a formal complaint and made a statement. The investigator assured me that THEY were doing an investigation on the death of Gandolf and the other ones. This was a serious crime and it would be investigated. The investigator was to report his findings directly to the Governor of Virginia. I feel that there was quite a bit of butt chewing for our local officials. In conclusion, so far there has been no leads, no evidence, no suspects�but it is being investigated. That is what I really wanted was for someone to hear my cries for help. To help find this killer who was going on with his business unnoticed by the local officials. And the investigation will continue. So far this person has been back to Ann's on several occasions since the death of Gandolf. We feel he comes on foot and is a very close neighbor. He will mess up. And we will catch him. He is very brave. He is also very sick. We worry that Ann may be his next target. She has done nothing to deserve these cases of abuse. I fear for the safety of her, her family, and her other pets. But one little voice from me was heard. If I could stop just one act of abuse like this Gandolf did not die in vain. We must speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. If we do not give them a voice who will? And go to whom you must to get these acts of violence investigated. Someone will listen. These acts are all felonies in Virginia. They must ALWAYS be investigated. I applaud the governor for his fast response to me. When all others chose to ignore these facts.... he chose to act on them and try to stop them. Contact information�. *Governor Mark R. Warner State Capitol, 3rd Floor Richmond, Virginia 23219 http://www.governor.state.va.us/Contact/Contact.html (The person who wrote to me for the governor) *Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services C/o J. Carlton Courter, III P.O. Box 1163 Richmond, Virginia 23218 http://www.vdacs.state.va.us (The investigator for the case of Gandolf) *C. Gary Umberger, Animal Health Investigator Wytheville Regional Laboratory 250 Cassell Road Wytheville, Virginia 24382 (E-mail for Gandolf) *[email protected] Kim Hanks P.O. Box 94 Speedwell, Virginia 24374 I am offering a reward for information to convict this person!!! Just my small part to help end this crime spree. And to let Gandolf run freely across the rainbow bridge�. finally may he be at peace. *I promise to NEVER forget* |
| To always remember Dear Gandolf�.. A letter to one who is happy and safe at Rainbow Bridge. By his foster mom, Kim Hanks. Gandolf, I found your old sweatshirt today. Still covered in that beautiful gray fur. Still smelling just like you. And I was sad and I cried even more. I packed it up tight and I put it away. There in my closet where you would often play. I can go there, you see, and take it right out, and there you will be looking right back at me. I wrote many letters and made even more calls�it seemed that no one really cared at all. Finally the governor heard my desperate cries for help. We are fighting for your rights Gandolf. And people here will never forget . I missed you before when you went away. Then came the day that that person took your life away. I got angry�really irate, how could a child of God be treated in such a way?? To torture and abuse was his main goal, and you the mere toy to add to his sinful joy. No regard for your life and your people at home. To hurt and punish you for a crime of evil and contempt, one that you dear friend did never commit. So I put your sweatshirt away. To take it out and to remember you on another day. But this I must tell you, as my heart is does ache; you live in me to this very day. I wanted you to know that I still treasure the day, which you came to me for help on a cold winters day. I don�t look back at your life filled with pain�but onto your future where you are most happy at play. And always the thought that you were my friend�a true loving soul right down to your tragic end. And there at that dear bridge, I see you waiting, and so happy to live. I will be there someday and then we all can forget your final day. Till then I wait, and I set your soul free�but please know; that I think of you often and you have a very special place deep inside of me. So sunshine and happiness now fill my heart�right in the place where your name is carved. So go on ahead and guide me down here�and know that I love you even with eyes filled with many sad tears. Never forgotten or pushed out of sight, living deep inside a scarred, tattered ones heart. Never to be forgotten or pushed away�but to bring me much joy when I think about my precious Gandolf, the happy Rainbow Boy!! With much love, And many sad tears, Your Mom, Kim Hanks [email protected] I promise to NEVER forget |
| Below is the unedited account of poor Gandolf, the cat. A reward is being offered to help find the person(s) responsible for this act of cruelty. |
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