Tag: kittens

Homeless Pit Bull Helps Rescue Kittens Trapped in Storm Drain

Harvey, a Pit Bull with an irresistible smile, has spent too long a time in long-term sanctuary care at Faithful Friends Animal Society, a no-kill shelter in Delaware. Hopefully, thanks to his recent heroic efforts, Harvey will soon find himself in a forever home.

As he was being taken for a walk, Harvey ran up to a storm drain and started barking. Checking to see what Harvey was barking about, his handler discovered a kitten trapped inside the drain.

That kitten was rescued thanks to Harvey, and within two weeks the Faithful Friends team was able to save two other kittens that were stuck in the same drain. The three kittens — Beta, Brie, and Brewster — are now in foster homes and will be ready for adoption soon.

In the meantime, the hero dog whose barking saved the kittens’ lives is also more than ready for adoption. Harvey enjoys outdoor activities like running and hiking, as well as indoor activities like cuddling and watching TV, so it seems like it won’t be too difficult for him to find the perfect home. While he does have some dog pals at the shelter, Faithful Friends says Harvey would do best as the only pet.

According to Laura Elizabeth in a comment on the Faithful Friends Animal Society’s Facebook page, Harvey had been adopted but was returned to the shelter in 2014 when his owners broke up or divorced and couldn’t keep him. “He takes some time to get used to new people, but he is such a love bug and oh so goofy!” she wrote.

The Faithful Friends Sanctuary Care Program “provides a place for animals who are harder to adopt due to terminal illness, medical conditions or behavior challenges,” according to a post on its Facebook page. 

If you’re interested in adopting Harvey the hero dog (yay, you!), email taylor@faithfulfriends.us. And please visit the Faithful Friends Animal Society website to make a donation to help them rescue more awesome dogs.

Photo: Faithful Friends Animal Society/Facebook

 

Katrina Survivor Boots Is Now Arizona Shelter’s ‘Kitten Whisperer’

This story was originally published Oct. 27, 2014.

The furriest volunteer at the Arizona Humane Society’s kitten nursery in Phoenix is 13-year-old Boots, a survivor of Hurricane Katrina.

AHS staff call Boots, a Chow/Golden Retriever mix who started working at the shelter in October 2014, the “Kitten Whisperer.”

Boots reports for duty every Wednesday. Kittens between the ages of 5 and 8 weeks old are allowed to snuggle up to him, so shelter staff can observe how well they’ll do with potential adopters who have dogs.

“He’s so relaxed,” Bretta Nelson, public relations manager for the AHS, told the Arizona Republic. “We bring him in, he sniffs the tents, he sniffs (the kittens). You can see their reaction, who’s curious and will just come up to Boots or will want to go slow.”

Boots “was rescued from the flooded streets in New Orleans after Katrina with severe chemical burns to his feet,” wrote Corinne Williams, a veterinary tech with AHS, in a comment on its Facebook page. “Now he is giving back by potentially saving other fellow creatures’ lives. Go Boots!”

According to the AHS website, studies show that kittens have a small window of time in which their exposure to new things will have an impact on their ability to adapt to changes when they become adults. The kitten nursery, which opened in May 2014, exposes them to “home life,” including riding in cars, the sound of a vacuum, children — and dogs.

“By bringing a dog nanny in, we’re exposing these kittens to a lot of different things,” Nelson said. “In the end, they will be adaptable and more adoptable.”

She said having Boots as a volunteer is a win-win for everyone involved.

“Boots loves it. Most of the kittens love it. Some are very scared at first, but the whole thought is to get them acclimated to being around dogs.”

Photos via Facebook

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