Local Shelter Saves 60 Kittens from Death in NYC

A healthy 3-week-old kitten arrived at the Animal Care and Control (ACC) in NYC, and 45 minutes later was killed for “having no mother.”  No adopter or rescuer was given the opportunity to save this kitten. 

On Mother’s Day, a mother cat and her two kittens were on the ACC kill list. 

That’s when Pets Alive, the Elmsford-based No-Kill rescue organization, made the commitment to save all the other kittens still left in NYC – and immediately took 60 kittens and four mother cats from the NYC ACC. The volunteer transporter was instructed to save them ALL. 

It is for reasons like this that New York needs a rescue access laws like CAARA. CAARA would make it illegal for shelters to kill animals without if a qualified rescue group is willing to save them, Rydd said.

Pets Alive is committed to stopping the killing of all animals in the shelter system. 

Here's what you can do: Call your New York State Legislators and propose that the CAARA law be adopted in NY State. 

Pets Alive will work feverishly to provide medical care and find loving homes for all of what they are calling the "Itty Bitty Kitty Rescue."  Half of the kitties are at the Middletown sanctuary, and half are being cared for at the Elmsford rescue center.

"A couple of the 60 have already been adopted," said Marcy Rydd, Community Relations Director for Pets Alive. "They are the cutest things ever; they can fit in your pocket."

One of the kittens is very seriously ill. Little Mitzee is at risk of going blind. The CACC vets diagnosed her with "conjunctivitis”, but it is far more serious than that. One of Mitzee’s eyes must be removed and the other needs daily care and possible surgery in order to save her vision.

The cost is estimated to be over $5,000 and is high risk for a kitten this young. Pets Alive is asking for donations to help not only this little kitten have a chance at life, but to help cover vetting and spaying and neutering for all 64 of these saved lives.

"CARA's passage has the potential to seve 25,000 animals per year in New York State," Rydd said. "Four million animals are killed nationally every year. With CAARA's passage New York State will not contribute to that number."

How To Help:

Donations are urgently needed to help provide medical treatment for the "itty bitty kitties,"–Rydd said—including Mitzee, who is currently undergoing treatment to save her vision.  To help provide care for them, donations of kitten food, toys and scratching posts are also needed.  All of the kittens are in need of loving homes, to learn more about providing foster care or adopting an itty bitty kitty, please visit www.petsalive.org.

Call your legislator Tom Abinanti at (518) 455-5753 to implore that CARA be passed. 

Read more about CAARA here: http://johnsibley.com/2012/05/16/we-need-caara-now/