Dear Friend,
We are in the midst of one of our busiest seasons: kitten season. Last year, the Chesapeake Humane Society (CHS) took in more than 280 kittens. With the expansion of our incredible adoption and foster programs in 2021, we anticipate a significant increase in our kitten intake this year.
Acacia and Yarrow when they first arrived a CHS.
We care for undersocialized kittens, neonatal kittens, perfectly healthy kittens, and kittens with life-threatening injuries. Our staff and fosters do everything they can to make sure the start of these little ones’ lives begins with the best possible care. Last month, we took in littermates, Cuatra, Acacia, and Yarrow. These poor kittens were in rough shape. They were severely neglected during their first four weeks of life. All three suffered from severe eye infections and Acacia and Yarrow developed ocular ulcers as a result. Poor little Acacia, the frailest of them all, also had a concerning head tilt. The kittens received immediate care from our veterinary team and we placed them in foster care, where they started receiving love and support as they recovered from their conditions. We were unsure whether these kittens would be able to keep their eyes,but we gave them a fighting chance.
Within a few weeks, the kittens’ health has improved immensely. Cuatra’s eye infection has fully healed and she will have full vision. Yarrow and Acacia have made huge improvements but they will most likely be permanently blind or have limited vision. Acacia’s long-term prognosis for her head tilt is still unknown at this time. We are confident that without our animal care and medical team, these kittens would not have survived.
We can provide lifesaving care to kittens like Cuatra, Acacia, and Yarrow because of supporters like you. Although kitten season is busiest during the spring and summer, we care for kittens year-round. Local shelters that need our help reach out to us with animals, and we are always here to support them. Each year we spend more than $45,000 caring for shelter kittens and, with a gift to CHS, you can help us sustain our robust adoption program that focuses on saving lives and finding homes for the most vulnerable pets in our community. Would you please commit to help kittens in our community today and consider a donation to Chesapeake Humane Society?
Warm Regards,
Lacy Shirey Cat Daniels
Executive Director Shelter Manager