Cat's 26 toes save Wis. animal shelter

In this Nov. 17, 2011, photo is Daniel, a cat with two extra toes on each of his feet, in Milwaukee. It?s a genetic mutation called polydactylism and even though it?s two toes shy of a Guinness World Records number, it?s helping Milwaukee shelter officials raise money to buy a new home after they learned their rent was being doubled. (AP Photo/Carrie Antlfinger)

In this Nov. 17, 2011, photo is Daniel, a cat with two extra toes on each of his feet, in Milwaukee. It?s a genetic mutation called polydactylism and even though it?s two toes shy of a Guinness World Records number, it?s helping Milwaukee shelter officials raise money to buy a new home after they learned their rent was being doubled. (AP Photo/Carrie Antlfinger)

In this Nov. 17, 2011, photo is Daniel, a cat with two extra toes on each of his feet, in Milwaukee. It?s a genetic mutation called polydactylism and even though it?s two toes shy of a Guinness World Records number, it?s helping Milwaukee shelter officials raise money to buy a new home after they learned their rent was being doubled. (AP Photo/Carrie Antlfinger)

In this Nov. 17, 2011, photo is Daniel, a cat with two extra toes on each of his feet, in Milwaukee. It?s a genetic mutation called polydactylism and even though it?s two toes shy of a Guinness World Records number, it?s helping Milwaukee shelter officials raise money to buy a new home after they learned their rent was being doubled. (AP Photo/Carrie Antlfinger)

MILWAUKEE (AP) ? Behold the power of paws.

The Milwaukee Animal Rescue Center in suburban Milwaukee parlayed a cat's near-record 26 toes into a fundraising windfall, raising $125,000 in about six weeks.

Center owner Amy Rowell started asking for $26 donations ? or $1 per toe ? on Oct. 31. She wanted to raise money for a new building after finding out her rent at a Greendale mall would double Jan. 1.

Rowell had raised $80,000 by Friday, when The Associated Press reported Daniel's story. The center raised an additional $45,000 by Wednesday, surpassing its $120,000 goal. The biggest number of contributions came from $26 donations.

Rowell says she saved Daniel, Daniel saved the center and now he'll save other animals.

She hopes to raise an additional $230,000 to pay off the mortgage.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2011-12-14-ODD--Polydactyl%20Cat/id-d22a3780f6164d3b9fe93e8ef0780a61

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