Say “Bonjour” to Ollie!

Ollie was adopted from Palmetto Animal League in June of 2023. Since then, he has been living a life most of us only dream of. PAL adopters, Hélène Balcerac and Ian Fleming, moved to France a few months after bringing Ollie home.

“We moved to Europe, and of course, Ollie came with us. He’s now been to Paris, the Brittany Coast, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany twice. He even has a European pet passport,” says Hélène.

After the loss of their senior dog in 2022, the couple found the PAL Adoption Center to be a therapeutic place, so they stopped by several times a week to visit with the cats and dogs. On one such visit, they noticed a little cat pawing at the window. They met Ollie, fell in love, and the rest is history.

“He was so affectionate, loving, cuddly, and soft,” says Hélène. “Who wouldn’t want a cat like that?”

With Hélène’s family residing in Paris, they decided to pack up their belongings, secure overseas arrangements for Ollie, and make the big move to France. From the Latin Quarter of Paris to the Lion Monument of Lucerne, Switzerland, Ollie has visited some of the most famous places in the world, but nothing beats the simplicity of a loving home.

“I think his favorite spot is wherever the comfiest place to nap is,” says Hélène smiling. “Especially if there’s a ray of sun he can lay under.”

Bluffton may be a world away, but Ollie’s Lowcountry roots still run deep. With the thick drawl of a southern gentleman, and often dressed in his Sunday best, Ollie greets his admirers with humility sprinkled with a dash of feigned interest.

“He always gets smiles out of people, especially when he’s being walked on a leash,” says Hélène. “He actually loves the attention.”

Ollie’s next big adventure is learning to ride a bicycle - like the locals!
“Right now, we walk next to him as he sits in his bicycle basket,” explains Hélène. “It allows him to take in the scents and scenery and get used to the feeling of being on a bike.”

So, the cat once abandoned and forgotten in South Carolina is now a much treasured, well-traveled, trendsetting adventurer who, quite literally, has the world at his feet (paws).

“I’m so glad we found Ollie,” says Hélène. “We’re writing from the French countryside to let everyone know that he is very loved.”

Hoping to find your next great love this holiday season? Make plans to attend PAL’s Holiday Open House Saturday, December 13 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at our adoption center, located at 56 Riverwalk Blvd in Okatie. Enjoy cookies, cocoa, and lots of good cheer as you spend time with adoptable pets. Can’t adopt? No problem! Please consider dropping by with a donation to make the holidays brighter for homeless pets.

Lindsay Perry is the Marketing Coordinator for Palmetto Animal League. www.PalmettoAnimalLeague.org