Chester the Celebrity Savannah

Letter submitted by Joyce Sroufe and written by Robin Lyon.

Note from Joyce: This little guy Chester is playing a BIG part in a lot of people’s lives in need of an uplift.  Robin had mentioned the work she hoped to do with an F2 Savannah in hospitals and rest homes, and one thing she thought might need to be done was to have Chester declawed because of the elderly and frail people he would meet.  But as it turned out, he NEVER brings out his claws.

Robin and her husband also do wonderful work with kids in trouble and Chester is there along with other animals they bring in.

I hope you all enjoy reading about Chester and maybe seeing Miracle Pets when it airs. --Joyce

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Chester is doing just fine.  He continues to amaze everyone with his sensitivity and gentleness.  He is still a regular visitor in hospitals and nursing homes three to four days a week in the San Francisco bay area. The patients delight in the way he fetches and retrieves toys, returning to their beds and wheelchairs, anticipating just one more throw of the ball!

Chester has become quite a celebrity out here - he has been filmed for several TV stories: Animal Miracles, Evening Magazine, Miracle Pets, etc.  He's also been featured on television news several times including ABC's World News Tonight last month.

Chester was visiting a cancer ward full of oncology (chemotherapy) patients.  They showed him comfortably settled on the lap of a very frail patient.  This particular cancer patient was hooked up to tubes and wires and yet her eyes sparkled happily as she stroked Chester comfortably perched in her lap. 

Chester is so much more like a dog rather than a cat. He comes when he is called (unless he is already at our heels). He knows how to roll over. And he will play fetch until our arms give out. Chester also knows the difference between our parrots and our chickens.  We keep several of the smaller birds in the family room and play with them on the floor or tabletops.  After scolding him a couple of years ago, he has never been the least bit interested in them.  He completely ignores them or falls asleep as if he is bored with them. Somehow I think he knows that those birds are a part of his family as well. 

He is small but he is l-o-n-g and his fur is exquisite.  I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world.  He is such an integral part of our family.

I'll let you know when the 30-minute show "Miracle Pets" is being aired.  The producer advised us that it would probably be shown sometime in December. The filming took place in a convalescent care center.  Many of the elderly were interviewed and talked about Chester and what he means to them.  I'm sure it will be very uplifting,
especially during the holiday season. 

I hope all is well with you and yours.

Sincerely,

Robin Lyon, Chester's Mom

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