Cheektowaga nursing home’s newest resident is the cat’s meow

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB-Television) – There’s a new resident at The McGuire Group’s Back garden Gate facility. 

“For a time time period in excess of the final year, people have been isolated to their rooms at selected moments, visitation has been an problem for the duration of COVID, and I believed that owning a cat in the facility could provide a piece of house into their lives,” claimed Amber Wiehe, administrator at Yard Gate.

It just so occurs, her mom runs A Purr-Fect Animal Rescue & Adoption Center, Inc. in Williamsville.  So Amber contacted her mother to adopt a cat. 

“I was so impressed with my daughter that she needed to do this for the people,” explained Chris Wiehe of A Purr-fect fit.

Chris was thrilled to support set up the ‘purr-fect’ adoption.

By their personal admission, Amber and Chris do not generally see eye-to-eye, but they did agree on the mutual rewards of this. 

“I think it’s given the residents one thing to search forward to…And it’s just brightened up everyone’s working day a small little bit,” Amber explained.

“Shelby has manufactured a good change in my world,” said resident Shirley Schweickert. “I come in listed here, and the initially issue I say is, ‘Where’s shelby?’ I search for her, I like her.”

“I consider animals are just one of our most loved things. And we see, we get rid of friends below, and we attain mates,” she mentioned.

Shirley defined she misplaced a of pals thanks to COVID and was thrilled to achieve Shelby. 

“I phone her the queen. Queen Shelby,” Shirley laughed. 

Queen Shelby’s throne is in Yard Gate’s things to do space, but she takes strolls in a specific pet stroller to stop by citizens in other places.

On these walks, Shelby will end by rooms for a pet a smile from some, and together the way, her existence will lift the spirits of the employees, far too.

It is a earn-gain for the mom-daughter duo that helped make it come about: A cat finds a forever dwelling, and anyone at Backyard Gate will get a little something out of it, too. 

“It’s just a superior sensation to know that [Amber] assumed of me and that there is now an animal that didn’t have a household that now does and is liked by all the citizens,” Chris claimed.

Chris hopes this story assists permit Western New Yorkers know that you can undertake a cat for your put of get the job done. What issues, when you use, she says is that you are a liable pet operator who will enjoy the cat and make certain it’s up to date on vet check out ups and vaccines, no issue the placing.