Fundraiser

Firstly...WOW! Thank you for the donations! We're off to a great start. A few folks have asked if they can mail in a contribution. You are welcome to do so. Here is our address:

Kitten Associates

P.O. Box 354

Newtown, CT 06470-0354

Please make check out to: Robin Olson (since we don't have our Kitten Associates bank account yet!).

THANK YOU AGAIN for helping the Kittens!

So the little cow kittens will be here in about 3 weeks. I guess they'll have some company. It's not my fault. Betsy should not have sent me photos from kittens that were brought in to Henry County on Friday night, just after our cow kitties were rescued!

She sent me this:

and this:

and this:

and this:

I also found out that the cow babies and their mama missed being euthanized by a few hours! A lot of babies died that day. Now these guys will have a few days, then their time is up, too. I know I can't save them all (yet!!!)

I asked Maria if there was any way to fit 4 more foster kittens into their own space in her house. She said, YES.

I asked Bobby if he could go to Henry and pick up the kittens on Monday and get them to the Vet.

He said: “Yes.”

Betsy asked me if I would rescue them.

I thought about it. 6 foster cats is a lot to care for and a lot of cats to be stuck with if they don't get adopted. These guys are so cute I think they'll get adopted quickly, but as with any rescue, just the basic costs to get them all spayed/neutered and rabies is $50/cat if I go to the low cost clinic. I also have to have them all vetted before they go into foster care, combo tested for FIV/Feluk, de-flead, de-wormed, and FRVCP shots.

Doing this is not cheap. And God forbid any of the cats get sick and we know they probably will, then it could go into the thousands.

So, when time came to decide on if I should rescue these cats or not...well, you know what I said.

YES to ONE!

YES to ALL FOUR!

I've paid for their initial vetting this afternoon. For the first time in my life, I'm going to ask for some help. I've got the first vetting on my dime, but now I'd like help paying for the cats to be S/N. I've cut my goal down as much as I can.

I don't have my Non-Profit status, so you can't write any donation off, but you CAN feel good knowing the money goes to the kittens. You can visit H.O.P.E's Website and see their costs listed there, so you know the costs are legit. I'm only asking for money to help get them S/N and rabies shot and a little extra in case I need a booster FVRCP. I've got their food, litter, any other vetting covered (if it's not astronomic). If you'd like to ChipIn a few dollars, that would be great. I promise to work on getting my Non-Profit so you can write the next donation off!

Yes, I'm doing this bass-ackwards. I should have a few big benefactors, but I don't have time to find them. These cats would be dead, so I just did what I needed to do.

Now I hope you'll join me and be an important part of this rescue! Run to your sofa and dig around for some spare change! Every dollar helps! I know you get bombarded by requests for donations, so I'm going to try to keep my request to a minimum

Thank you for your help and to everyone for all their supportive messages and good wishes. I hope to make you all proud of me and rescue more kitties in the coming days!

As I get older, I realize that it would be selfish to adopt any more cats after I reach a certain age, yet I don't know at what point in my life I need to do that? What if I get a terminal illness in the next year, while I'm still young (-ish!)? I'd have eight cats to worry about.

One of my biggest fears is what everyone in rescue sees ALL the time-owners who die and leave no one to care for their pets. Those pets are often times geriatric, themselves, and are very difficult to place. What is their fate? You can guess the answer to that without my help.

After spending my life devoted to the welfare of cats, how ironic would it be that my own cats would suffer the same fate I fear most?

In 2003, a charitable trust was created to help solve this difficult problem. They're called Banfield Charitable Trust, a non-profit organization based on Oregon.

In addition to Pet Peace of Mind , they also make donations and Community Grants to local Non-Profits across the country. Their goal is to keep Pets & Families together, with a focus on increasing awareness to the vital role pets play in every family. They do this in a variety of ways, which you can read more about HERE.

What I'm most impressed by is their goal to work with Non-profit Hospice Caregivers to create programs where they can allow their patients to KEEP their pets with them, instead of being forced to give them up when they enter hospice. Or have to give them up because they are too frail to care for their pet. This not only gives a person dignity, but confirms that animals are a core part of our lives. Without them WE suffer and that is one thing that shouldn't happen when a person is facing their last days.

Photo from Banfield Charitable Trust

Right now, Pepsi is sponsoring the GOOD IDEA Campaign. The winner will get $250,000.00! Banfield is at the 12th position. You can help with a Mouse-CLICK and keep clicking, every day until April 30th. You can do good, without it costing you anything but a few minutes of your time.

Vote HERE

More Ways to Help

Ask your friends and business colleagues to vote as well. Use blogs, Facebook and Twitter to spread the word. It only takes three minutes to register. Once registered, you may vote every day. Voting for this project will take less than one minute per day.

Go HERE to see even MORE ways to help!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP! SPREAD THE WORD! Let's make Banfield Charitable Trust, Number ONE!

If you want to make a better world for pets, it takes more than just a wish. It takes putting your hand in your pocket and dragging out some hard earned cash. It takes the willingness to step up when asked and look out for opportunities where you can help-and be willing to do just that.

At BlogPaws, a group of great folks banded together to form “Be a Part of the Change.” They're asking all Pet Bloggers and Pet Lovers to stand together and focus their efforts on a specific non-profit pet rescue organization, to see how much money we can raise in a concentrated effort. Since there are so many groups who need help, a new rescue group will be chosen every so often, so we can spread our support across the country.

The first recipient of our efforts, fittingly enough, is in Columbus, Ohio, where BlogPaws was just held. Pets Without Parents was “founded in June of 2001, is a non-profit, no-kill, all-breed shelter for dogs and cats. Our mission is to place every pet that enters our shelter into a loving, permanent home; to motivate our local community to support our shelter, its no-kill mission, and spay-neuter efforts through donation, volunteer, and adoption opportunities...until every pet goes home.”

These noble folks are doing great things in their area. If you saw some of the boarded up neighborhoods (!), not just homes here and there, of Columbus, you would cry. These folks are facing very tough times indeed. What I'm going to ask you guys is to make me proud and donate $5 or more, if you can afford to do so. I know there are so many deserving groups that need support, but lets see what we can do when we focus our efforts on just one.

What difference can we make in the lives of some of these cats? Wouldn't it be FANTASTIC if we raised so much money, that this group didn't have to worry about how they were going to afford food or Vet bills for the next few years? Is that a dream? Heck NO. WE CAN DO THIS IF WE WORK TOGETHER!

These are just some of the almost 40 cats Pets without Partners has rescued who are looking for their forever home.

This is PC, an odd-eyed white kitty. Who wouldn't want to give this pretty baby a great home?

What about Goliath?

Or this stunning, Feline Leukemia Positive little baby, Bug?

Every homeless cat or dog deserves the best we can provide for them. We can be part of the change that makes life BETTER for these animals, and in return, gives us a better life, too.

Please consider donating at least $5 here or via this little widget.

Thank you, everyone! Now lets do something that makes our hearts sing!

AND PLEASE RE-TWEET & PASS ALONG THIS POST TO YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY!

We love our pals at Best Friends and we loved (but are still hungover from it) watching the Olympics! Put the two together and you get great coffee?

Wait! Even to my warped mind that does not add up.

Shannon Bahrke is a 2010 Bronze Medal and 2002 Silver Medal Winning Skiier who happens to love coffee and love giving back to support animals in need. Here's more from her web site:

Silver Bean Coffee Co was founded by 2002 Olympic Silver Medalist Shannon Bahrke. She started skiing at the age of 3 and has been a member of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team for the past 10 years. During this time, Shannon was also a member of two Olympic Teams and represented the United States in the Salt Lake City and Torino Winter Games. Whether she is competing in a World Cup competition in Italy, taking a high speed groomer on an early morning in Japan, or skiing endless powder all day long in Tahoe, Shannon feels most at home when she is on her skis. Because her sport enables her to travel all over the globe, Shannon has been lucky enough to sample a wide assortment of coffee in many exotic locations! Shannon’s tireless energy drives her to be the best in the competitive skiing world, while also enabling her to realize her dreams in the coffee business as well.

Now, the ever generous Shannon and her family are donating a portion of the proceeds from their Fair Trade Oragnic Coffee Blends to Best Friends! I bought one and it came today! Here's my fat hand along with the overstuffed bag of Best Friends Blend!

Normally, I don't plug products, but I thought this was a nice way to get a caffeine buzz and help kitties, doggies and other homeless animals while I was at it. Oops. I don't drink coffee! Oh well.

Anyone wanna come over for a cup of coffee?

After MONTHS of Vet visits, mounds of medications and lots of hope, sprinkled with tears and love, “Santa's Team” is finally recovering from their horrendous URI's, eye infections and ringworm. Hopefully, very soon they'll be ready to move forward with the next chapter of their lives.

In honor of Valentine's Day and the loving support you've given to me and the kitties during this tough time, I ask you to considering giving a donation to help us pay their HUGE Vet bill.

While we're looking at well over $1500 in care and medications, I'm not going to ask for a lot from each of you. I know times are tough and there are so many others who need help, too.

All I ask is to donate the cost of a box of chocolates, about $10 (or more if you can) to our Angel Fund or our General Donation Fund. 100 percent of your donation goes straight to helping the animals in our Program. Your donation is also tax deductible (as the law allows), as The Animal Center is a registered non-profit 501(c)(3).

And on a personal note, I want to let you all know how very much I appreciate and am humbled by your friendship, your compassion to help homeless and injured animals and your willingness to share your life story with me, as I share mine with you.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Robin, your cat hair covered hostess

Thank You to Everyone who donated to help get “Santa's Team” to Connecticut!

As promised, I have matched your funds with my own, so we've closed the ChipIn widget and I made my donation via PayPal to save the 3% in fees. We're all set! Now I just have to wait until THURSDAY, the date the kitties arrive, for the fun to begin!

Mark your calendars and stay tuned! Lots of stories await-and photos, too!

A few folks have asked how to make a donation as a "Gift" so our fundraising isn't charged a 3% fee and we get 100% of your donation. To do this You must have a PayPal account!

1. Log into your PayPal account

2. Select the top tab that says "SEND MONEY"

3. In the "To" box fill in : SpaldingUrgents@hotmail.com

4. Type in the amount you want to donate (remember, for this fundraiser, I will MATCH your donation, dollar for dollar)

5. There are TWO TABS below the amount you are donating. One says PURCHASE one says PERSONAL

5. Choose PERSONAL

6. Then select: GIFT

Fill out the rest as prompted to complete the donation. There's a MESSAGE form near the end, where you can designate that this is for "Santa's Team" or the "Reindeer Kitties" and we will direct the funds accordingly.

THANK YOU!

These are my babies-the cats and kittens I've “busted out” of Henry County in McDonough, GA-home to 90% euthanasia rates. These cats are on their way to having their first Christmas out of a cage, no longer facing certain death.

I've got transport lined up. The cats are in a boarding facility, in two week quarantine until they can be cleared to leave for Connecticut. The last piece of this phase of their rescue is to raise funds to cover their needs until they arrive. Some will be spayed or neutered. All will get their combo tests, first FVRCP shot, de-wormed and de-flea'd. Their boarding is $5/day; some are boarded for more than 2 weeks due to transport run timing. The costs are listed below.

I realize that asking to raise $925 is asking alot-which is why...

FOR EVERY DOLLAR YOU DONATE, I WILL MATCH IT UNTIL WE HIT OUR GOAL OF $925. THIS MEANS I AM PLEDGING ABOUT $463.

THANK YOU for your help. I know these babies would not stand a chance at life, let alone a Happy Holiday without ALL of OUR EFFORTS! We've had a GREAT YEAR together! I'm SO PROUD of ALL OF YOU for doing SO MUCH to help cats in need! Let's end the year with JOY, knowing that although we can't save them all (yet!), we can save some. Thank you for being part of my Team and sharing my passion.

Thank you to Barb Lowe & Susan Birnbaum at Winging Cat Rescue for making this rescue possible!