Friday, March 29, 2024
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Put Your Hearts to Work, and Local Rescued Cats and Horses

people and pets
People head for high ground with their pets after a flood.

It’s hard to sit by and watch while others are in need, especially after devastation like the tornadoes in Oklahoma last weekend, Hurricane Sandy last autumn, and each successive year’s violent weather events, earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural and man-made disasters.

If we’re trained responders it makes perfect sense to take our talents where they are needed, but most of us are just average people who simply care a lot—yet even though we aren’t able to put our hands to work, we can put our hearts to work and help from a distance. From sending money and donations to sharing information about lost and found pets, you can help thousands of people and animals immediately.

BloggerDisasterResponseNetwork
The Blogger Disaster Response Network

And some still shake their heads at our need to especially help animals when people are in need. In truth, most of the animals are pets, and the people in need are just as concerned about their animals as themselves and their human loved ones. While help for humans arrives immediately we animal lovers and rescuers can now more fully participate in assisting animals along with people through organized animal welfare associations who also arrive at the site of the disaster with trained responders for domestic pets, livestock and wildlife.

As a member of the Blogger Disaster Response Network, I have animal-focused information about organizations, activities and donation opportunities for you. One of the things you can do right away is to visit the donation page set up by World Vets to help people and pets in Oklahoma now through May 28, 2013 using the link below.

Team Up For Oklahoma

And if you lose track of this post with the link, I’m keeping it near the top of the right-hand column on The Creative Cat home page until May 28.

Here are just a few of the activities and organizations you can support as they help in every way they can, especially right now in Moore, Oklahoma.

American Humane Association Red Star Rescue in Oklahoma

American Humane Association (AHA) drove its famed Red Starâ„¢ Animal Emergency Services team into storm-ravaged Moore, Oklahoma to help animals who need rescue and shelter. Supported by Mars Petcare, the 82-foot-long Red Star Rescue Rig is fully equipped with a mobile operating theater, emergency rescue equipment, and accommodations for 12 volunteers.

  • Mars Petcare US is sponsoring the deployment of the giant Rescue Rig and donating critical food supply.
  • Banfield Pet Hospital, a business of Mars, Incorporated, is supplying veterinary care.
  • Zoetis is supplying vitally needed medicines.

American Humane Association’s Red Star Rescue teams have been part of every major disaster relief effort for the past century from rescuing horses on the battlefields of World I Europe to Pearl Harbor, 9/11 and last year’s Hurricane Sandy.  They have rescued and sheltered more than 70,000 animals in just the past five years. You can read more about the Rescue Rig and follow its progress on the AHA website.

The also have a very informative article about how to keep yourself and your pets safe during a tornado.

How to Help Animals Affected by the Oklahoma Tornado at Vetstreet

The Vetstreet staff has put together a list of places and means to donate money, food and supplies, how to help and where to find, post and share lost and found pets and other animals including livestock and wildlife, and information about the triage clinics and other animal services in Moore, OK in their article How to Help Animals Affected by the Oklahoma Tornado.

Team up for Oklahoma with BlogPaws

The BlogPaws team is also tracking information and opportunities for charitable donations for the tornado victims. For instance, on Tuesday 100% of the food donated from Halo to homeless pets through Freekibble.com was sent to the animals affected by the tornado. You can also find out about matching donations and other ways to make your donation do extra work.

Pets, Strays and Ferals

And along with the pets who are emerging from the destruction, we can’t forget the community cats—those cats who don’t have formal homes and may not have anyone looking for them. Alley Cat Allies is helping with care for both owned cats and strays and ferals as they appear needing food and possible veterinary care.

. . . . . . .

Adoptable Cats Who Need Foster Homes

Often when cats need homes quickly because an owner is moving or they are simply not wanted, we can find a foster home or series of homes, and slip them into a shelter when the timing is good. At this time, with so many kittens entering the shelter, the shelters and foster homes are full. These two cats will likely lose their lives if a foster home or adoptable home isn’t found.


Maisy
Calico cat.
Maisy, declawed and soon to be homeless

I don’t have too much of a story about Maisy, only that the pretty dilute calico is three or four years old and declawed, and is looking for a foster or permanent home. If so, please contact me and I will put you in touch with the persons who currently have her or wherever she may be once she’s lost the home she’s in. She’s pretty darned cute.

calico cat
How like a kitty, looking down on you.

white cat in baby carriage
Clarence in his favorite spot.
Clarence, young and friendly, about to be put to sleep because people are moving

A caring person offered to help Clarence’s humans find a home for him rather than put him to sleep before they move. He appears to be a pure white long-haired kitty, very handsome!

Clarence says, “I am a well behaved in door, out door cat. My family is moving and can’t take me with them. They are going to put me to sleep and I am only a couple of years old.”

Again, I don’t know the story, but I know the individuals who have rescued and shared Clarence’s situation. Please contact me and I will put you in touch with the persons who currently have him.

Ten Horses Rescued From Starvation and Botched Gelding

A friend in cat rescue alerted a group of us to this article in our local paper about Equine Angels Rescue near Pittsburgh that actually had to build more stalls to accept ten horses found on a farm in Butler County.

The Missouri Trotters were as much as 300 pounds underweight, and were suffering various infections from improperly done gelding—or neutering as we cat owners know it. One horse was unable to stand, and several are showing signs of peritonitis.

Unfortunately, just as it has been with cats and dogs and other small animal pets, horse abandonment has been frequent in the past few years, as well as improper veterinary care or none at all. This story isn’t on Equine Angels Rescue’s website yet, but visit to read about what they do, and just as we do with cats and dogs and other shelter animals, if you can help in any way, please do.


All photos courtesy the kittens’ foster homes.

And read about other kittens and adult cats who are looking for homes.


Can’t adopt? Foster! Can’t foster? Donate or volunteer.

There are so many ways you can help cats who need homes and care. You may not have room to adopt another cat, but can foster a cat or kitten for a few weeks. If not that, you can volunteer at a shelter or with a rescue, or donate. You do this because you love your cat, and by doing so you help all cats. No matter which of these actions you take, you help to save a life, and make life better for all cats.

  • Adopt one of the cats I’ve posted here, or from any shelter or rescue near you, or from Petfinder, to open up a space for another cat to be rescued and fostered.
  • Offer to foster cats or kittens for a shelter or rescue near you.
  • Volunteer at a shelter or rescue.
  • Find a group of volunteers who work with homeless cats and help them with their efforts.
  • Donate to a shelter or rescue near you.

If you can foster kittens or adults cats to help prepare them for a forever home, please run to your nearest shelter and find a cat who needs you! Anyone can help with this effort at any level, even if all you do is donate to a shelter or rescue so they can help to pay for the food or medications needed for their foster, or the spay/neuter/veterinary care during a clinic.

Need to know more? Read Fostering for Your Shelter and Fostering Saves Lives


Browse some rescued cats and kittens!

cats for adoption


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Bernadette

From health and welfare to rescue and adoption stories, advocacy and art, factual articles and fictional stories, "The Creative Cat" offers both visual and verbal education and entertainment about cats for people who love cats, pets and animals of all species.

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