Pets

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Ginger the Southampton cat and her special friend, Anna the Greyhound

Sometimes things happen for a reason,  just ask Hilary and Robert Klingbeil. 

The couple has taken in several animals, including several cats and a dog, all who "have brought great joy"  to their lives.

The Klingbeils live in Hamilton, winter in Florida and summer in a cottage between Sauble Beach and Southampton in Bruce County.

Hilary and Bob Klingbeil with their newest family member, Ginger

'Ginger' had a complete litter of  'all ginger' kittens

Robert Klingbeil had always wanted a 'ginger' cat since the time he was young and his mother had a male ginger cat.  "I had always wanted a ginger but had never found one that was special."

"When we were in Southampton last June, something told us to go into the Southampton Pet Hospital.  We already had our cat Tabitha but we stopped in at the hospital.  Robert went in and I waited in the car," says Hilary Klingbeil.  "He came out and asked me to come in, which I did and saw 'Ginger'.  We both knew immediately we would take her."

The fine-boned little cat was a female ginger, which is rare, and had just had an entire litter of ginger kittens. The kittens had all been adopted but, as is usual with adult cats, they are the last to be considered.

"When we took Ginger home to Hamilton," says Bob Klingbeil, "she immediately made herself at home." Since then, she walks every day on a leash, has her own special bed and 'rules the roost'."

The Klingbeils travel to Florida each winter and, where they go, their cats Tabitha and Ginger go.  "They travel better than some people," says Bob Klingbeil.

After Ginger joined the family, they made their annual trek to Florida where they rented winter accommodation at Cypress Bend RV Resort in Estero.

It was there that Ginger made a very special friend in the form of Anna, the Greyhound.  Greyhounds are trained to chase a 'rabbit' and, to them, a rabbit and a cat are very similar.  Therefore, not only are they not friends but are, in fact, enemies.  Fortunately, no one told Ginger and Anna.  From the day they first met, they became fast friends.

Anna, was the second retired Greyhound to be adopted by Mary and Wally Kwait of Estero and, every day when Anna would go for her walk, she and Ginger would bond with a 'kiss'.

When the Klingbeils left Florida, they stayed in touch with the Kwaits and Mary Kwait says that Anna, the Greyhound, continually looks for Ginger each day on her walk.

So famous is the couple (Ginger and Anna) that they were written up in several publications and the Klingbeils won a photo contest for the photo of Ginger and Anna 'kissing' each day.

"Seneca residents Bob and Hilary Klingbeil, as has been their habit, spent the month of March in a Florida trailer park, taking along their pet cat, Ginger.  One day a rather strange happening took place when another park resident was walking her dog in the immediate area, a retired Greyhound racer, when the two animals - generally regarded as traditional enemies - had an amicable meeting.  The two four-legged enemies "kissed" as can be seen  - with the dog not wanting to leave and the leashed cat trying to follow  her new friend, Anna.  This scene was repeated most every day by these two new-found friends.  All those who have viewed this photo find it hard to believe this scenario was repeated every day during the Klingbeils' 2011 Florida vacation."   by the Haldimand Press.

"We think the Southampton Pet Hospital is a fantastic facility," say the Klingbeils.  "After we got Ginger, our daughter went in and she adopted a kitten.  We also support the Angel Fund.  We didn't realize that they help so many animals through this fund and so we try to help."

The Klingbeils attended the Southampton Pet Hospital client appreciation BBQ last summer with their new family member, Ginger, and plan on being there again this summer.

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Wednesday, July 06, 2011