cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/65254406

The Brief

The Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County took in 80 cats from two recent animal control cases, including 60 rescued from a sailboat.

The shelter now has 190 cats on-site and another 230 in foster care, pushing it far beyond capacity during kitten season.

The rescued cats are not yet available for adoption, but the shelter urgently needs foster homes, supplies, etc.

They are also looking for medical Fosters and public Fosters in their area, you can read more via this link: Tacoma W.A Humane Society

Sources: CBS news , photo curtesy of Tacoma P.D, Tacoma W.A. humane Society

Mod Note: I’m posting this here not knowing if any of our community members live in this County/ State . It is not a begging post for donations but a reminder that we are all human beings and that a once in a lifetime flood of cats being accepted into a non kill humane shelter is an act of incredible humanity, one that could actually make or break this Shelter.

Tacoma Humane Society Facebook

  • IamSparticles@lemmy.zipEnglish
    2·
    2 hours ago

    Local here. I just made a donation. Wish I could do more to help, but I’m not currently in a great position to do that.

    [edit] - oh, and I think my employer will match it. Something for others to consider looking into.

  • velma@sh.itjust.worksOP
    20·
    20 hours ago

    Message from the Tacoma Humane Society:

    Just a few hours after receiving the 60th cat from the boat off Owen Beach yesterday afternoon, we received another notice from our animal control partners that 20 cats were being removed from an abandoned vehicle.

    With this group of 20, we now have over 190 cats in the shelter and an additional 230 cats in foster. Among the cats removed from the abandoned vehicle, there are 6 approximately 7-day-old kittens with a mama and 6 approximately 6-week-old kittens. Upon our initial examinations, our team determined that all the cats have also been exposed to ringworm.

    Not only does this push us far beyond our shelter’s capacity for cats, it also adds time-intensive treatment for ringworm onto our veterinary team, who are already managing the medical care for all of the animals in the shelter.

    At this time, we are in urgent need of fosters who can take in cats who have been exposed to ringworm. What is ringworm?

    Ringworm is a common fungal infection (despite the name, it’s not a worm at all!) that causes a ring-shaped, itchy rash. While you may have not heard of ringworm before, you may have heard of Athlete’s foot, which can actually be caused by ringworm! While it can spread to humans and pets, our team provides all the protective equipment and guidelines you’ll need to keep yourself, your family, and your pets safe while fostering. With proper precautions, the risk is very low.

    Why in-home care is best:

    The shelter environment can be stressful for cats and stress weakens their immune systems, which makes developing secondary illnesses more likely and slows down recovery time. In a foster home, cats are calmer, less stressed, and get more one-on-one care, which means their healing is often much faster!

    Learn more about fostering and submit your application here: thehumanesociety.org/get-involved/foster/

    Can’t foster? Here are other ways you can help:

    🤎 Donate: Caring for so many cats, especially those with additional medical needs, puts a strain on resources. Your gift helps us continue. thehumanesociety.org/?form=DonateNow

    🎁 Donate Supplies: Browse our wishlists to send needed supplies to help pets in our care feel comfortable. https://www.amazon.com/.../PHXES3OGIX7C…

    🏠 Adoption: While the cats from the boat off Owen Beach and the cats from this recent intake aren’t yet eligible for adoption, we have plenty of other adorable cats ready to find loving homes! thehumanesociety.org/adopt

    📢 Spread the word: If you can’t foster, sharing this post may connect us with someone who can.

    • velma@sh.itjust.worksOP
      10·
      20 hours ago

      It can be SO expensive to get pets spayed or neutered!

      This particular situation grew out of the owner’s control, though his heart was in the right place.

      • Jay@lemmy.caEnglish
        7·
        18 hours ago

        Yup where I live it’s around $170 for males, and $220 for females, and that doesn’t include anything else they may need like tests or meds. That adds up really fast even with just one litter of kittens. Some clinics do have a “bulk” discount when you bring in three or more at a time which helps a bit at least. The three strays I brought in last week cost me over $560.