ARLINGTON, Va. — Valentine's Day is all about spreading the love, and who says that love has to just be for humans? One animal shelter in Arlington decided to show some extra love to an orange tabby cat, raising $65,000 to cover surgery and medical expenses.
Cupid the cat was brought to The Animal Welfare League of Arlington on Feb.14 after being transported from another shelter. With him? A 5-inch arrow lodged in its right eye. The group estimated the kitty's necessary medical coverage to cost around $6,500, asking the public for any donations.
Donate they did! The public delivered, pouring in support on social media and donations to the shelter.
The group raised well more than the original $6,5000 -- in fact, 10x that. Yep, a total donation amount of $65,000 was raised to help sweet Cupid, with the shocking amount announced in an Instagram video with the league's CEO Samuel Wolbert.
"This is fantastic," Wolbert said in the video. "I was told I wasn’t going to believe it, but even this is beyond my wildest expectations."
The group said all of the additional money raised will go back to helping ensure other animals at the shelter can receive top-notch care, especially in emergency situations like Cupid's.
Cupid is currently recovering after his successful surgery on Sunday, where the arrow was removed, luckily missing any vital organs and major arteries. And speaking of Instagram, Cupid has his very own page documenting his recovery process.