Right now, “backyard” dogs are being forced to endure biting winds, snow, and freezing rain with little—if anything—to protect them from the bitter cold. Without help, some won’t survive the harsh winter.
You can make a tremendous difference in the life of a lonely dog by rushing an emergency care package today. Choose as many gifts as you’d like for your care package below and help a dog before it’s too late.
The following local organizations are working around the clock to support displaced and lost pets. Visit their websites and social pages to find their latest requests and learn how to best help them, because some are at or reaching capacity for donations. Much of this list comes from World Animal Protection, which has more information here.
Here are more organizations and locations providing care for local wildlife that has been injured or burned.
If you need help with injured wildlife, Pasadena Humane requests that you text or call 626-344-1129.
Double Your Impact Today to Keep Cold Dogs Safe This WinterUntil midnight on December 31, every dollar you donate will be DOUBLED—up to $50,000—by a generous donor. That means your gift can go two times as far to protect vulnerable dogs enduring freezing temperatures around the world. But this matching opportunity won’t last, and neither will the time to help.Countless cats and dogs are facing brutal winter conditions—they’re cold, hungry, and alone. But your donation can change that. Together, we can provide them with the warmth, safety, and love they desperately need to survive this season.But we must act quickly. We can’t let this gift matching opportunity slip away. Right now, your kindness goes two times as far, reaching even more animals in need. Please help us meet our goal—without you, we can’t continue to save lives.Don’t miss the last matching gift challenge of the year. Donate now and make two times the impact!
https://spcai.donorsupport.co/page/txt-winter2024
From: https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/lost-found-and-feral-cats/lost-a-cat and from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5789300/
Five things to help find your lost cat
Not all cats are house cats. Some are inclined to wander, especially if there is fuss or food to be found elsewhere. It is normal for your cat to pop in and out throughout the day – especially if they have a taste for adventure. If your cat hasn’t returned by the time dinner time comes around, however, you might be worried that your cat is missing. Try not to panic. Cats can disappear for days at a time and return with no trouble, looking perfectly healthy. While you might be worried, they’re likely to stroll in and wonder what all the fuss is about. If they haven’t yet returned, give them a few hours before you make a plan of action.
If your pet still hasn’t returned home, there are a few simple things you can do to help find your missing cat. The first thing to do is to check your own home and garden. Cats love small cosy spaces and might be hiding in the unlikeliest of places – from cupboards to garden sheds. Check every room in your house, including any outbuildings and sheds too. Behind curtains, under duvets and even in household appliances like tumble dryers and washing machines. If you’re having building work completed, check under floorboards or any holes big enough for a cat to nestle into.
If you’re sure your cat isn’t at home, the next thing to do is to speak to your neighbors as well as any delivery people nearby. They might have seen your lost cat somewhere and can let you know of their whereabouts. Ask them to check their own sheds and outbuildings, as well as under any parked cars in the neighborhood. Remember to check homes on both sides of the road, as well as homes that have gardens that back on to yours. You could even provide neighbours with an up to date photo and your cat’s name, reminding them to keep an eye out.
Advertising on social media is a great way to get the message out that your cat is missing, particularly if you’re a member of a local Facebook community group. Post a clear photo of your cat, their name and your contact details.
It is also useful to keep a list of useful phone numbers pinned to a board in your kitchen. You can download our list below, complete with handy contact details.
If putting out the word about your missing cat hasn’t worked, there are some great tips and tricks to try at home. Cats are heavily reliant on scent and leaving out items that may entice them back to you is well worth an attempt. Things to try include the following:
If you’re beginning the search for a missing cat, download our checklist to tick off each action as you do it.
Microchipping your cat is the most effective way to ensure that they can be identified if they go missing, and keeping your details up to date can increase the likelihood of a happy reunion. If your lost cat is found and taken to a vet or animal welfare organisation, you’ll be contacted quickly.
Moved house or changed a phone number? You’ll need to let your microchipping company know so that your details that are on file can be amended. Find out more about microchipping your catDownload: Microchipping guide
The Humane Society of the United States
Easy steps to get involved and make a difference
Bruce E. Stidham / Stidz Media
All of us can make a difference for animals in our everyday lives, whether it’s by adopting a pet, choosing products not tested on animals, eating a humane diet or engaging your community in animal protection issues. With so many widespread problems facing animals, it takes all of our collective efforts to confront these cruelties and change things for the better.
Here are 50 ideas for ways you can help animals in your community and across the country. Please share this list with any of your friends and family members who are also interested in advocating for animal protection.
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1. Sign up for email alerts to get the latest news and quick, simple actions to help animals straight to your inbox.
2. Sign up to receive text message alerts to do the same right from your cell phone.
3. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
4. Share our videos on your website, blog or social networking page.
5. Subscribe to our blog for the latest animal news.
6. Attend Animal Care Expo (location varies), Taking Action for Animals in Washington, D.C., or one of our many other events.
7. Write letters to the editor on our issues.
8. Urge family and friends to consider adopting from a shelter or rescue.
9. Post flyers in your neighborhood and local places of business.
10. Distribute flyers at events.
11. Encourage radio and television talk shows to discuss animal issues.
12. Sponsor a “Stop Puppy Mills” billboard in your community.
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13. Ask your local restaurants and grocery stores to switch to cage-free eggs and to protect seals by boycotting Canadian seafood.
14. Join us in applauding pet stores that have taken a stand against puppy mills—support the more than 1,000 stores that have joined our Puppy-Friendly Pet Stores initiative. Encourage local stores that do sell puppies to stop.
15. Organize a World Spay Day event in your community.
16. Arrange coffee or lunch dates to introduce our fights to people who care about animals.
17. Work to get your local universities or your child’s schools to participate in Meatless Mondays or add vegetarian options to their menu.
18. Book and sponsor our subject matter experts for lectures at schools and universities—contact us if you’re interested!
19. Sponsor a local classroom and recommend our Nose-to-Tail program for elementary students or a young animal lover you may know.
20. See how you can raise funds for animals at MyHumane.
21. Make a special one-time gift or support all animals all year round with an automatic monthly gift.
22. Make a memorial gift in honor of a friend or animal companion or give gift memberships to friends or family members.
23. Host a house party and have an executive or subject matter expert speak to your guests.
24. Ensure the HSUS is eligible for giving programs at your workplace and explore matching gifts from your employer.
25. Donate your used vehicle to benefit the HSUS.
Meredith Lee
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The HSUS
26. Include the HSUS as a beneficiary in your will.
27. Shop our Amazon storefront for branded apparel that lets you wear your support on your sleeve.
28. Purchase pet health insurance from Petplan and receive a 5% discount—and with each completed application, Petplan will make a $20 donation to our Humane Society Veterinary Medical Alliance’s Rural Area Veterinary Services program. Use code HSUS20.
29. Purchase or renew a subscription to All Animals magazine.
30. Order personal checks and create custom gifts from Zazzle.
31. Shop with our other corporate supporters and help animals with every purchase—coffee, flowers, wine, jewelry, and more.
32. Check out what people are selling to benefit us when you shop on eBay.
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33. Purchase cruelty-free cosmetics and household products.
34. Participate in Meatless Mondays and find delicious plant-based recipes for your next meal.
35. Adopt a pet from a local animal shelter or rescue group.
36. Support fur-free fashion by consulting the HSUS’s humane shopping guide.
37. Encourage your office to implement dog-friendly policies. Our book, Dogs at Work: A Practical Guide to Creating Dog-Friendly Workplaces, provides step-by-step advice.
38. Turn your outdoor space into a backyard sanctuary and find humane ways to coexist with wildlife.
39. ID your animals and encourage others to do the same—and keep your cats safe indoors.
40. Prepare a disaster plan for your animals.
41. Learn what legislation is now pending in Congress and how you can help.
42. Learn how to help outdoor cats in your neighborhood.
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43. Encourage your local officials to find long-lasting, nonlethal solutions to conflicts with wildlife such as bats, coyotes, deer and more.
44. Provide for your animals’ future in case you can’t care for them.
45. Participate in Animal Rescue Team training and sign up to help animals in crisis.
46. Attend Humane Lobby Day for the opportunity to talk to state legislators about passing laws that protect animals.
47. Develop humane outreach programs in your community.
48. Determine which elected officials represent you at local, state, and federal levels. Attend lawmakers’ town meetings to urge them to support our fights.
49. Work for the passage of local ordinances in your community, for example, to protect chained dogs or improve the lives of dogs in puppy mills.
50. Volunteer!
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The Humane Society of the United States is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions to the HSUS are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The HSUS’s tax identification number is 53-0225390.
I went to New Orleans to visit my daughter and her partner. We stood at the shore of the mighty Mississippi. We visited the French Quarter in the morning, wandering past colorful buildings with filigree iron balconies and open bars with early drinkers and jazz. We stopped into a couple shops, eying the array of voodoo paraphernalia. We drank chicory coffee and ate beignets under live oak trees draped with Spanish moss.
There is a significant homeless population in New Orleans, and many stray cats. On one corner in the French Quarter a homeless man slept soundly, perhaps drunkenly, on top of his belongings. Standing beside him meowing loudly and repeatedly was an adolescent, skinny, rough-furred black cat, likely begging for a scrap of food from a man who had fed her before. I wanted to pick up the hungry cat and take her with me, but where would I take her? I quickly looked on my phone at listings for New Orleans animal rescue but found only adoption sites and nothing about picking up or where to take a found cat.
I ended up walking away, feeling helpless. There was, at least, a nearby puddle the cat could drink from, since shop owners seem to hose down the sidewalks routinely. This pleading little cat stayed with me, tinging the rest of my day with worrying thoughts.
What I have learned since then about what to do when you see a homeless cat. This is an excellent how-to article by Adam Lee-Smith.
By Adam Lee-Smith
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a US city that isn’t home to a stray cat population. According to some estimates, between 60 and 100 million stray cats live in the US. With roughly 85 million pet cats in the US, there are nearly as many stray cats as pet cats.
So if you find a helpless feline on the street and you want to help, what’s the process? Read on to learn how to tell the difference between a feral and a stray, how to approach a stray cat, and how to care for a stray once you’ve successfully rescued them.
There’s a big difference between feral and stray cats. Feral cats are essentially wild cats that have lived outside their entire lives and avoid human contact. Meanwhile, stray cats are pets that have been abandoned or lost.
Stray cats are much easier to secure and interact with than feral cats. Often, you can lure an abandoned or lost cat into a carrier by setting food as a trap.
Both types of cats should be rescued to help reduce cat populations. While it’s rare for feral cats to become family pets, it’s still important to take them to your local humane society or animal shelter if you can.
Related: How to Take Care of a Feral Cat
Most free-roaming cats have not been vaccinated against deadly diseases. Petting or touching a free-roaming cat puts you and your pets at risk of diseases like rabies and bacterial infections like cat scratch fever.
It’s a good idea to avoid picking up a free-roaming cat altogether, even to rescue them. If you’re unable to secure them using a trap, call in the professionals.
The best way to get a stray cat to trust you is with food and water. Set down some strong-smelling cat food or treats to help draw them out of hiding.
While you may be tempted to feed them something more enticing, like a piece of ham, it’s best to stick to cat food to prevent stomach upset. Avoid putting out any milk — contrary to popular belief, cats are actually lactose intolerant, and consuming dairy products could make them sick.
Try not to crowd the cat or stare at them while they eat. Cats, especially strays, are clever creatures that value their privacy. Be patient, as it may take some time to build trust.
When approaching a stray cat, you’ll want to use a low stance, as the cat will find it less threatening. A side-on stance is also a good posture to take, as it makes you look smaller and less threatening.
Speak to the cat in a soft, reassuring voice, which will help keep them calm as you approach. Cats also see direct eye contact as a way of establishing dominance, so you should avoid looking a stray in the eye.
Chances are you’ll be unsure whether a cat is feral or stray at first glance. As cats can quickly become defensive when frightened, you should wear long sleeves and gloves to avoid serious bites or scratches during a rescue.
When approaching a stray cat, watch out for obvious signs of aggression. Signs of aggression and fear include:
If you notice any of these signs of aggression, give the cat space, and back off until they calm down.
You may see a stray cat at an inconvenient moment, like while you’re driving down the highway. During a stray cat rescue, always practice road safety. You could endanger yourself and others by suddenly pulling over to help a cat stranded near the road.
Pull over at an appropriate place, and use your hazard lights to avoid an accident. If you can’t pull over safely, consider coming back another time or calling the local animal control facility.
The amount of time it takes to gain a stray cat’s trust depends on the cat. If they’re used to people and aren’t fearful, a stray cat may immediately approach you. Stray cats that are injured or wary of people may take a month (or even longer) to trust you.
While you may be tempted to feed a stray cat for several weeks to gain their trust, use caution. Leaving out food for a stray may attract other feral or stray cats. These cats might carry diseases, which they could pass on to other pets in your neighborhood. If you’re going to feed a stray cat, it’s best to do it when the cat is around to eat the food immediately.
A good way of building trust with a stray cat is to build a cat-friendly shelter near your home. This will give the cat somewhere warm and comfortable to rest, and it’ll also help them get used to your presence. Try not to build the shelter too close to your house, as it might intimidate the cat.
Coming prepared to rescue a stray cat is key to success. Here are a few things you can do to ensure your rescue goes smoothly.
If you find yourself rescuing stray cats regularly, keep a rescue kit in your car. A rescue kit for a stray cat may include:
Carrying a rescue kit with you will mean you’re prepared to pick up a stray cat at any time, and you won’t have to leave the stray alone to gather supplies.
If you find a stray cat that won’t get into a carrier, you can use a cat trap to secure them. A cat trap involves leaving out food in a trap and lying in wait. There are several types of cat traps, including drop traps and traps with trigger plates. However, traps can be expensive and difficult to use, so you may be better off contacting local authorities to help with the capture.
As cats are unpredictable, you shouldn’t try to pick up or grab a cat by hand. Doing so could result in injuries to you and the feline. If you can’t lure a cat into a carrier or a trap, you should contact animal control or your local humane society. If you live in a rural area, you may need to contact the police for assistance.
Once you’ve secured a stray cat, you might be unsure of the best course of action. Here are a few next steps you can take to keep the cat happy and healthy.
The first thing to do is to take the cat to a local vet. The vet will be able to check the cat for a microchip and tell you for sure whether the cat is stray or feral.
Ask the vet about local stray cat rescue facilities as well. While many of these facilities won’t be able to take in or rehome stray cats, some will cover certain vet costs, like spay/neuter and vaccinations.
If you find an adorable stray that you’d love to give a “furever” home, there are a few things to consider. Just because you possess a stray doesn’t automatically make you their lawful pet parent. There are different laws on pet ownership from state to state and city to city, so check with your local government.
Usually, there’s a holding period for strays before they lawfully belong to you. This holding period varies depending on where you live. During this time, you’ll have to take appropriate steps to show that you’re trying to find the cat’s original owner. You’ll also need to take steps to show that you are the new owner.
You can prove you’re trying to find the cat’s original owner by having them checked for a microchip, posting online, and putting up flyers around your neighborhood.
If you’re unsuccessful in finding the original owner, you can take steps to show you’re the new owner, like covering costs for microchipping, vaccinations, ID tags, flea treatments, etc.
Almost every summer, Carol goes out on the porch of her remote rural home and discovers an unfamiliar feline face. Another cat or kitten has been thoughtlessly abandoned during the night.
Carol is a senior citizen, and all of her own cats are fixed. Her income is fixed as well, and she has no money for vet visits for new cats.
Yet the abandonment continues.
I volunteer with a feral-cat trap/neuter/return group in addition to my job with Petfinder. We helped neuter Carol’s outdoor cats in 2002 (all of them were offspring of cats abandoned on her property), so luckily we are there to help when new cats appear in her life. When my phone rang this Sunday, the news was particularly bad: Two female cats and three tiny kittens (pictured) had been left at Carol’s door.
Abandonment of domestic animals is illegal. In New York State it is punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or a year in prison. However, it’s hard to catch someone who merely slows down and tosses a cat alongside a country road or leaves a box of kittens at a campground.
If you wander outside one day with your morning coffee and are greeted by the forlorn mews of an abandoned cat or kittens, you might be tempted to hope they will just “go away.” However, ignoring them will only make the situation worse. A dumped pregnant cat may shortly have kittens beneath your porch. Healthy kittens, abandoned without their mother, will soon starve or become ill or injured.
While you absolutely did not cause the problem, it has become yours, much like a storm that drops a tree in your yard. It’s unexpected and even may cost money to resolve, but nonetheless, there it is, and it’s not going to go away!
Make sure the cat or kitten has food, water, and shelter.
If you can bring her into your home, keep her away from your own pets until you are certain she is healthy.
Call your local animal shelter or humane agency for guidance
To find shelters and adoption groups in your area, use Petfinder’ s animal welfare group search tool. They may be able to take your foundling and find her a new home. Be sure to give a donation if they do. However, if they are unable to accept the cat, or if you prefer to care for her yourself, ask the shelter or rescue group these questions:
List the cat in your local “found” lists
If the cat stays in your care, be sure your local shelter places her on their “found” list. Perhaps she was not abandoned. She may be someone’s beloved pet who wandered away or accidentally hitched a ride in the back of a truck. Speak with your neighbors and post flyers. In searching for a possible owner, you may even find someone interested in adopting the cat.
You can also post her to the “found pets” section — and, if no one steps forward to claim her, to the “pets for adoption” section, of the Petfinder classifieds.
Report abandoned pets to your local law enforcement agency.
Make sure to make a statement in writing. Even if police are unable to locate the abandoner, the incident may find its way into the local news police blotter.
Try to find the abandoned cat a home
The Petfinder library has an excellent article on finding a home for a pet. Please be certain, before you let a cat or kitten leave your care, that the pet is either spay/neutered or is going to a home committed to spay/neuter.
One summer I was walking by our local grocery and noted a woman on the sidewalk with a box of “free kittens.” I went to speak to her, planning to explain why this was not the best way to find a home for cats. However, she admitted she previously had dumped kittens at local farms — thinking they wanted them — until she read in the newspaper that it was illegal!
While handing kittens out to strangers on the street isn’t the safest way to adopt them out, it was definitely an improvement over abandonment, and it did get her into the public eye. We could offer her resources to get her own cat fixed and take the kittens to get them into foster homes, thus ending the cycle of kittens and more kittens at her home.
 By Marc-André A seven-year-old London cat who lives at a safe house for women who have been enslaved, exploited and trafficked has been named National Cat of the Year by Cats Protection.Black-and-white Marley beat thousands of other entries to be named overall winner in the nation’s biggest celebration of cats, held at London’s One Marylebone on 18 September and hosted by novelist and self-confessed cat lady Dawn O’Porter.Marley was honoured in recognition of how he helps the guests on their journey to freedom at Caritas Bakhita House in London through his innate instinct for knowing when they need his comforting presence by their side.“I’m so proud Marley has won National Cat of the Year – he’s a wonderful example of the power of love,” said Karen Anstiss, 59, Head of Bakhita House, currently home to 11 women from 11 different countries. “Often Marley placing a paw on our guests’ legs is the first kindness they’ve experienced in years. He has this incredible gift of empathy and has assisted many, many women along the road to recovery.  |
11/06/2024 – Ciaran McCrickard / Cats Protection – NCA 2024 Awards finalists – Incredible Cats – Marley.
“We adopted Marley four years ago – he’d been in a rescue shelter and then taken in by a family whose cat bullied him. Before he went into rescue, I think he had a hard time. So, he recognises our guests’ trauma because he has suffered too.
“Initially he sits really close, to see how the women respond. Then he gently puts a paw on their leg letting them know they’re not alone. We had one guest who was so traumatised she didn’t speak to us – only to Marley – and because she trusted him, over time we were able to reach her.
“Marley is also staff supervisor, security guard – patrolling the grounds – and chief gardener. Nobody is allowed to touch his patch of daisies. In art therapy he’s a popular muse and one guest even composed a song for him. At 7pm staff and guests sit down for dinner together, like a family, and Marley joins us. Thank you to Cats Protection for showing how incredible cats are. Marley really is the fluffy heart of our home.”
To reach the final four cats in the National Cat Awards, Marley first won the Incredible Cats category – which celebrates catswhose bond with their humans inspires extraordinary acts of love in a public vote.He was then selected as overall National Cat of the Year by a panel of celebrity judges.
As overall winner, Marley won a trophy and prize package, which included a £200 pet store voucher. He follows in the paw prints of last year’s winner Zebby who won National Cat of the Year 2023 in recognition of how he supports his deaf owner Genevieve Moss by alerting her to sounds around the home.
by Michelle Milliken
In addition to people, pets have benefitted from blankets and repaired windows in their homes, but you’ve also helped us provide aid for them in many other ways. That includes providing cat and dog food to animal lovers and shelters looking after animals left to fend for themselves amid Russian attacks. With medical care needed for many of them, getting help with food takes some financial stress off their plates.
Photo: Patron Pet Center
One organization we’ve worked closely with is Patron Pet Center in Kyiv. Volunteers there have worked tirelessly to help rescue and care for animals evacuated from the front lines, animals which arrive on a daily basis as the cities where they live are hit with missile after missile. In recent months, Patron has had up to 200 animals at a time, who need food, care, and safety after their ordeal.
EVACUATE PETS OUT OF A WAR ZONE
The rescue ensures pets get veterinary exams, vaccines, and spay and neuter surgeries, all while caring for their more immediate needs. Volunteers have continued this work despite their own issues with blackouts. You can read more about their work here. If you’d like to support their efforts, click here!
Untold Animal Stories 
