ON "ABC NEWS LIVE". >> MY FAVORITE NOW. >> MY FAVORITE NOW. WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE. WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE. HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO SAVE HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO SAVE YOUR PETS? YOUR PETS? LIFE? LIFE? IT'S A QUESTION THAT MOST PET IT'S A QUESTION THAT MOST PET OWNERS HAVE FACED. OWNERS HAVE FACED. AND AS VETERINARY MEDICINE AND AS VETERINARY MEDICINE ADVANCES, THERE ARE ADVANCES, THERE ARE MORE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE, MORE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE, OPTIONS THAT CAN BE EXTREMELY OPTIONS THAT CAN BE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE, LIKE A KIDNEY EXPENSIVE, LIKE A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT FOR CATS, A SURGERY TRANSPLANT FOR CATS, A SURGERY THAT COULD COST UPWARDS OF THAT COULD COST UPWARDS OF 20 THOUSAND DOLLARS. 20 THOUSAND DOLLARS. BUT FOR SOME , THE COST IS WELL BUT FOR SOME , THE COST IS WELL WORTH IT. WORTH IT. OUR JACK ONLY MET WITH A CAT OUR JACK ONLY MET WITH A CAT DAD WHO OPTED FOR THE PRICEY DAD WHO OPTED FOR THE PRICEY PROCEDURE, AND SHE GOES INSIDE PROCEDURE, AND SHE GOES INSIDE THE UNIVERSITY AT THE CUTTING THE UNIVERSITY AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF PET MEDICINE. EDGE OF PET MEDICINE. >> THE BOND BETWEEN A PET >> THE BOND BETWEEN A PET AND AN OWNER IS LIKE NO OTHER. AND AN OWNER IS LIKE NO OTHER. WHERE YOU GO COME UP. WHERE YOU GO COME UP. THE MOTHER MAY NOT EXACTLY THE MOTHER MAY NOT EXACTLY BE TWO-WAY CONVERSATIONS. BE TWO-WAY CONVERSATIONS. THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT A DEEP THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT A DEEP LOVE IS THERE HERE IN FRANKLIN, LOVE IS THERE HERE IN FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE, THREE FRIENDLY TENNESSEE, THREE FRIENDLY FELINES ARE CUDDLING UP FELINES ARE CUDDLING UP WITH THEIR OWNER, GREG WITH THEIR OWNER, GREG NORWEIGAN. NORWEIGAN. CHARLIE TUCKER, AND SLASH CHARLIE TUCKER, AND SLASH THEIR JOURNEY HASN'T BEEN THEIR JOURNEY HASN'T BEEN WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES. WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES. FIVE YEARS AGO, TUCKER EXPERION FIVE YEARS AGO, TUCKER EXPERION TO KIDNEY FAILURE CAN KIND OF TO KIDNEY FAILURE CAN KIND OF EXPLAIN WHY TUCKER HAS BEEN EXPLAIN WHY TUCKER HAS BEEN THROUGH TUCKER THROUGH A LOT THROUGH TUCKER THROUGH A LOT ROUTINE BLOOD WORK AND HIS ROUTINE BLOOD WORK AND HIS KIDNEY FAILURE CREATININE LEVEL KIDNEY FAILURE CREATININE LEVEL AND HIS BE1 LEVELS WERE AND HIS BE1 LEVELS WERE SLIGHTLY ELEVATED THREE MONTHS SLIGHTLY ELEVATED THREE MONTHS ON BY SIX MONTHS WENT BY . ON BY SIX MONTHS WENT BY . THEY CONTINUE TO ELEVATE. THEY CONTINUE TO ELEVATE. SO DR. GRACE INTRODUCED SO DR. GRACE INTRODUCED THE CONCEPT OF THE KIDNEY THE CONCEPT OF THE KIDNEY TRANSPLANT. TRANSPLANT. HE BECAME A CANDIDATE FOR HE BECAME A CANDIDATE FOR A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT. A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT. SO I PULLED THE TRIGGER AND I SO I PULLED THE TRIGGER AND I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH , FELT COMFORTABLE WITH , YOU KNOW, UNIVERSITY OF YOU KNOW, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA. GEORGIA. SOME PEOPLE SAY, HOW CAN YOU DO SOME PEOPLE SAY, HOW CAN YOU DO THAT? THAT? THAT'S SELFISH. THAT'S SELFISH. FOR GREG, THE POSSIBILITY OF FOR GREG, THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING TUCKER WASN'T AN OPTION LOSING TUCKER WASN'T AN OPTION . . HE DIDN'T CARE HOW MANY TENS OF HE DIDN'T CARE HOW MANY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IT WOULD THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IT WOULD COST. COST. SO HE TRAVELED OUT OF STATE SO HE TRAVELED OUT OF STATE TO TAKE PART IN A VERY TO TAKE PART IN A VERY SPECIALIZED PROGRAM. SPECIALIZED PROGRAM. >> WE DON'T REALIZE HOW SICK >> WE DON'T REALIZE HOW SICK OUR ANIMALS ARE UNTIL YOU SEE OUR ANIMALS ARE UNTIL YOU SEE AN ANIMAL BOUNCE BACK . AN ANIMAL BOUNCE BACK . >> DR. CHAD SCHMIDT IS THE HEAD >> DR. CHAD SCHMIDT IS THE HEAD OF THE CAT KIDNEY TRANSPLANT OF THE CAT KIDNEY TRANSPLANT PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA'S VETERINARY TEACHING GEORGIA'S VETERINARY TEACHING HOSPITAL, ONE OF ITS KIND HOSPITAL, ONE OF ITS KIND AROUND THE GLOBE. AROUND THE GLOBE. ONE PARTICULAR THING ABOUT CATS ONE PARTICULAR THING ABOUT CATS IS THAT THEY ARE SO GOOD AT IS THAT THEY ARE SO GOOD AT HIDING THEIR DISEASE, SO A LOT HIDING THEIR DISEASE, SO A LOT OF TIMES CATS WON'T START OF TIMES CATS WON'T START SHOWING SIGNS OF ILLNESS SHOWING SIGNS OF ILLNESS AND OWNERS WON'T PICK UP AND OWNERS WON'T PICK UP ON SIGNS OF ILLNESS UNTIL IT'S ON SIGNS OF ILLNESS UNTIL IT'S QUITE ADVANCED. QUITE ADVANCED. AND SO THAT'S ONE CHALLENGE WE AND SO THAT'S ONE CHALLENGE WE FACE IN THESE ANIMALS, FACE IN THESE ANIMALS, IS TRYING TO WORK WITH THOSE IS TRYING TO WORK WITH THOSE VARIOUS ANIMALS. VARIOUS ANIMALS. >> SCHMIDT IS ONE OF ONLY A >> SCHMIDT IS ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF SURGEONS HANDFUL OF SURGEONS WHO PERFORMS KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS WHO PERFORMS KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS ON 10. ON 10. WE ARE ONE OF TWO ACTIVE WE ARE ONE OF TWO ACTIVE PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY. PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY. WE GET OUR PATIENTS FROM ALL WE GET OUR PATIENTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND SOMETIMES OVER THE COUNTRY AND SOMETIMES ALL OVER THE WORLD. ALL OVER THE WORLD. THE ADVANTAGE HERE IS THAT THE ADVANTAGE HERE IS THAT THERE'S SUCH A QUALITY TEAM OF THERE'S SUCH A QUALITY TEAM OF SPECIALISTS IN ALL DIFFERENT SPECIALISTS IN ALL DIFFERENT FIELDS. FIELDS. IT'S AN AMAZING SURGERY GROUP. IT'S AN AMAZING SURGERY GROUP. WE JUST HAVE AMAZING WE JUST HAVE AMAZING ANESTHESIOLOGISTS AND AMAZING ANESTHESIOLOGISTS AND AMAZING CRITICAL CARE PEOPLE AND SO CRITICAL CARE PEOPLE AND SO THERE'S THIS CRITICAL MASS HERE THERE'S THIS CRITICAL MASS HERE THAT REALLY ENABLES US TO THAT REALLY ENABLES US TO GIVE THE MOST HIGH QUALITY CARE GIVE THE MOST HIGH QUALITY CARE ACROSS THE U.S., THERE HAS BEEN ACROSS THE U.S., THERE HAS BEEN A GROWING DEMAND FOR ADVANCED A GROWING DEMAND FOR ADVANCED CARE FOR DOMESTIC PETS, MOSTLY CARE FOR DOMESTIC PETS, MOSTLY BECAUSE PET OWNERSHIP IN BECAUSE PET OWNERSHIP IN THE U.S. HAS INCREASED THE U.S. HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS. 30 YEARS. AS OF THIS YEAR, 66% OF U.S. AS OF THIS YEAR, 66% OF U.S. HOUSEHOLDS, THAT'S HOUSEHOLDS, THAT'S EIGHTY SIX POINT NINE MILLION EIGHTY SIX POINT NINE MILLION HOMES OWN A PET. HOMES OWN A PET. >> MILLENNIALS MAKE UP >> MILLENNIALS MAKE UP THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF CURRENT PET OWNERS AT 33%. CURRENT PET OWNERS AT 33%. >> THAT'S CONSIDERED ABSOLUTELY >> THAT'S CONSIDERED ABSOLUTELY NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR PEOPLE NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR PEOPLE TO LOVE. TO LOVE. THEIR ANIMALS SPEND WHATEVER IT THEIR ANIMALS SPEND WHATEVER IT TAKES TO FIX THEIR ANIMALS WHEN TAKES TO FIX THEIR ANIMALS WHEN THEY GET SICK . THEY GET SICK . YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE FACT YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE FACT THAT FOR MANY PEOPLE, THESE THAT FOR MANY PEOPLE, THESE ANIMALS ARE LIKE THEIR KIDS. ANIMALS ARE LIKE THEIR KIDS. SOMETIMES IT ONLY BUYS THE CAT SOMETIMES IT ONLY BUYS THE CAT AN EXTRA YEAR OR SO OF LIFE. AN EXTRA YEAR OR SO OF LIFE. BUT EVEN SO, FOR A CAT OF BUT EVEN SO, FOR A CAT OF LIMITED LIFESPAN, IS QUITE LIMITED LIFESPAN, IS QUITE A LONG TIME AND IT MEANS A LOT A LONG TIME AND IT MEANS A LOT TO THE OWNER. TO THE OWNER. 76% OF CAT OWNERS SAID THEY 76% OF CAT OWNERS SAID THEY CONSIDER THEIR PETS TO BE CONSIDER THEIR PETS TO BE A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY, A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY, AND THAT COULD LEAD AND THAT COULD LEAD TO INCREASED EXPENSES. TO INCREASED EXPENSES. JUST LAST YEAR, AMERICANS SPENT JUST LAST YEAR, AMERICANS SPENT A WHOPPING ONE HUNDRED THIRTY A WHOPPING ONE HUNDRED THIRTY SIX POINT EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS SIX POINT EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS ON THEIR PETS. ON THEIR PETS. HOW MUCH OF THIS COST? HOW MUCH OF THIS COST? >> OH, ORIGINALLY WE GO BACK >> OH, ORIGINALLY WE GO BACK SEVEN YEARS AGO, I WANT TO SAY SEVEN YEARS AGO, I WANT TO SAY RIGHT AROUND EIGHTEEN, RIGHT AROUND EIGHTEEN, NINETEEN THOUSAND EIGHTEEN NINETEEN THOUSAND EIGHTEEN NINETEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. NINETEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. >> SO THE COST OF THE SURGERY >> SO THE COST OF THE SURGERY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA IS AROUND TWENTY THOUSAND IS AROUND TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR BOTH THE RECIPIENT DOLLARS FOR BOTH THE RECIPIENT AND THE DONOR. AND THE DONOR. THERE ARE A LOT OF ONGOING THERE ARE A LOT OF ONGOING COSTS TO I THINK OWNERS CAN COSTS TO I THINK OWNERS CAN EXPECT TO SPEND EXPECT TO SPEND ANYWHERE BETWEEN FIFTEEN ANYWHERE BETWEEN FIFTEEN TO FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR TO FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR ON MEDICATION AND TESTS ON MEDICATION AND TESTS AND VETERINARY VISITS. AND VETERINARY VISITS. >> AT THE HEART OF >> AT THE HEART OF THE SURGERIES HERE AT THE SURGERIES HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, A HIDDEN SILVER LINING FOR A HIDDEN SILVER LINING FOR THOSE WHO GO THROUGH WITH THE THOSE WHO GO THROUGH WITH THE SURGERY, SAVING THE LIFE OF SURGERY, SAVING THE LIFE OF ANOTHER CAT. ANOTHER CAT. >> WE TAKE DOWN OUR CATS FROM >> WE TAKE DOWN OUR CATS FROM A VARIETY OF PLACES. A VARIETY OF PLACES. WE'VE HAD DONOR CATS BE CATS WE'VE HAD DONOR CATS BE CATS OWNED BY THE RECIPIENT FAMILY. OWNED BY THE RECIPIENT FAMILY. WE'VE HAD DONOR CATS, CATS WE'VE HAD DONOR CATS, CATS OWNED BY THE RECIPIENT'S OWNED BY THE RECIPIENT'S VETERINARIAN. VETERINARIAN. IMPORTANTLY, THE DONOR CATS ARE IMPORTANTLY, THE DONOR CATS ARE ALWAYS ADOPTED BY THE FAMILY OF ALWAYS ADOPTED BY THE FAMILY OF THE RECIPIENT. THE RECIPIENT. AND TO THE BEST OF AND TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, THEY GO ON AND OUR KNOWLEDGE, THEY GO ON AND LIVE A NORMAL LIFE AFTERWARDS. LIVE A NORMAL LIFE AFTERWARDS. >> WERE YOU TOTALLY ON BOARD >> WERE YOU TOTALLY ON BOARD WITH THE CONCEPT OF A DONOR CAT WITH THE CONCEPT OF A DONOR CAT GIVING TUCKER THE KIDNEY, THEN GIVING TUCKER THE KIDNEY, THEN YOU ADOPTING THE STORY? YOU ADOPTING THE STORY? >> CAT OH YEAH. >> CAT OH YEAH. YEAH. YEAH. NO, THAT WAS I THINK PART OF NO, THAT WAS I THINK PART OF THAT WAS THE EXCITING PART THAT WAS THE EXCITING PART IS IT'S LIKE HAVING A BABY. IS IT'S LIKE HAVING A BABY. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE COMING HOME WITH . YOU'RE COMING HOME WITH . CHARLIE HIMSELF WAS A RESEARCH CHARLIE HIMSELF WAS A RESEARCH CAT. CAT. SO AS I SAY, WE SAVED HIS LIFE, SO AS I SAY, WE SAVED HIS LIFE, TOO. TOO. SO I BROUGHT HOME ONE CAT WE SO I BROUGHT HOME ONE CAT WE BROUGHT HOME, YOU KNOW, TUCKER, BROUGHT HOME, YOU KNOW, TUCKER, AND WE BROUGHT HOME ANOTHER CAT AND WE BROUGHT HOME ANOTHER CAT THAT WE SAVED HIS LIFE AND GAVE THAT WE SAVED HIS LIFE AND GAVE HIM A CHANCE AT LIFE AS WELL. HIM A CHANCE AT LIFE AS WELL. >> BUT SOME HAVE ETHICAL >> BUT SOME HAVE ETHICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM. >> ONE OF THE ETHICAL CONCERNS >> ONE OF THE ETHICAL CONCERNS OF THE DONOR CAT INVOLVED OF THE DONOR CAT INVOLVED AND THOSE DONOR CATS DON'T LIKE AND THOSE DONOR CATS DON'T LIKE COME ALONG AND SAY, YES, PLEASE COME ALONG AND SAY, YES, PLEASE TAKE MY KIDNEY. TAKE MY KIDNEY. THE ARGUMENT THAT IS USED THE ARGUMENT THAT IS USED IS THAT MOST OF THOSE DONOR IS THAT MOST OF THOSE DONOR CATS ARE COMING FROM SHELTERS. CATS ARE COMING FROM SHELTERS. THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE FOUND THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE FOUND A HOME. A HOME. THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN EUTHANIZED THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN EUTHANIZED IN THE SHELTER. IN THE SHELTER. SO DONATING A KIDNEY TO ANOTHER SO DONATING A KIDNEY TO ANOTHER CAT IS PREFERABLE TO THAT, CAT IS PREFERABLE TO THAT, ESPECIALLY IF THE RECIPIENT ESPECIALLY IF THE RECIPIENT HOUSEHOLD OF THAT NEW KIDNEY OR HOUSEHOLD OF THAT NEW KIDNEY OR THAT KIDNEY IS WILLING TO ADOPT THAT KIDNEY IS WILLING TO ADOPT THE DONOR. THE DONOR. >> DID YOU WONDER, IS THIS >> DID YOU WONDER, IS THIS ETHICAL FOR THIS CAT WHO CAN'T ETHICAL FOR THIS CAT WHO CAN'T TECHNICALLY REALLY CONSENT TECHNICALLY REALLY CONSENT TO GIVE THE KIDNEY TO TUCKER? TO GIVE THE KIDNEY TO TUCKER? >> YOU KNOW, I DID WHAT I FELT >> YOU KNOW, I DID WHAT I FELT . . I'VE GIVEN THIS GUY, YOU KNOW, I'VE GIVEN THIS GUY, YOU KNOW, TUCKER, A CHANCE AT A NORMAL TUCKER, A CHANCE AT A NORMAL LIFE. LIFE. I FELT THAT AT THE CAT I FELT THAT AT THE CAT IS SCHEDULED TO BE EUTHANIZED IS SCHEDULED TO BE EUTHANIZED AT. AT. YEAH, YOU'RE TAKING THE KIDNEY YEAH, YOU'RE TAKING THE KIDNEY AWAY FROM HIM. AWAY FROM HIM. YOU'RE STILL GIVING THAT CAT AN YOU'RE STILL GIVING THAT CAT AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE A LIFE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE A LIFE AS WELL. AS WELL. >> NOW, OPINIONS, EVERYBODY HAS >> NOW, OPINIONS, EVERYBODY HAS AN OPINION. AN OPINION. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FOR >> A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AGAINST IT. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AGAINST IT. A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT'S CRUEL. CRUEL. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT'S THE GREATEST THING. IT'S THE GREATEST THING. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WAS MY DECISION. WAS MY DECISION. I DID WHAT I FELT WAS RIGHT. I DID WHAT I FELT WAS RIGHT. >> TUCKER GOT A SECOND CHANCE >> TUCKER GOT A SECOND CHANCE WHILE DONOR CHARLIE FOUND HER WHILE DONOR CHARLIE FOUND HER FOREVER HOME. FOREVER HOME. SO IF TUCKER DID NOT GET THE SO IF TUCKER DID NOT GET THE KIDNEY TRANSPLANT, HE WOULD KIDNEY TRANSPLANT, HE WOULD HAVE DIED? HAVE DIED? >> HE WOULD YES, HE WOULD HAVE >> HE WOULD YES, HE WOULD HAVE DIED. DIED. HE WAS ON HIS LAST LEGS. HE WAS ON HIS LAST LEGS. BEFORE YOU DECIDED TO GET BEFORE YOU DECIDED TO GET THE SURGERY. THE SURGERY. AND WHAT DID TUCKER MEAN AND WHAT DID TUCKER MEAN TO YOU? TO YOU? HE WAS MY FAMILY MATTER. HE WAS MY FAMILY MATTER. >> AND HERE IN TENNESSEE, >> AND HERE IN TENNESSEE, FIVE YEARS LATER, TUCKER FIVE YEARS LATER, TUCKER IS THRIVING IN THE BEGINNING. IS THRIVING IN THE BEGINNING. >> DO YOU THINK TUCKER >> DO YOU THINK TUCKER KNEW THAT CHARLIE PLAYED A ROLE KNEW THAT CHARLIE PLAYED A ROLE IN SAVING HIS LIFE? IN SAVING HIS LIFE? I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ABLE I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ABLE TO PICK UP ON THAT. TO PICK UP ON THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY DEFINITELY BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY DEFINITELY HAVE A BOND. HAVE A BOND. YOU KNOW, THE BOND THAT CHARLIE YOU KNOW, THE BOND THAT CHARLIE HAS WITH TUCKER VERSUS CHARLIE, HAS WITH TUCKER VERSUS CHARLIE, WITH SLASH, ONE OF THE NEXT WITH SLASH, ONE OF THE NEXT YEAR LOOK LIKE FANTASTIC. YEAR LOOK LIKE FANTASTIC. >> I WISH I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL. >> I WISH I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL. TUCKER. TUCKER. NOW, LIKE HIS CREATINE LEVEL NOW, LIKE HIS CREATINE LEVEL STARTING TO CREEP UP AS HE'S AN STARTING TO CREEP UP AS HE'S AN OLDER CAT. OLDER CAT. MYRTO, IT'S UP TO HIM, HIS MYRTO, IT'S UP TO HIM, HIS PRIMARY DOCTOR . PRIMARY DOCTOR . NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TREATING NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TREATING HIM FOR OLDER, YOU KNOW, CAT HIM FOR OLDER, YOU KNOW, CAT DISEASES, CHARLIE. DISEASES, CHARLIE. >> HE'S YOUNG. >> HE'S YOUNG.