Oreo rescued by Save Our Strays

Pinellas County is home to an estimated 227,000 cats and kittens. Many are strays or become homeless for various reasons. Save Our Strays, Inc. is on a mission: To shelter and find homes for cats and kittens in need in Pinellas County, Florida.

As many as 12,000 cats may be euthanized in Pinellas County during the course of a year. As tough times befall more people, more cats are joining the homeless population. Euthanasia becomes their only solution – unless these cats are rescued.

Save Our Strays, Inc. is committed to helping as many homeless cats as space permits. They are continually seeking additional foster homes – even on a temporary basis. Since January 1995, Save Our Strays has medically assisted and adopted out over 8000 cats and kittens. All this made possible through the many volunteers who give their time and love to care for these animals. And, what do they have to say about it?

The address for Save Our Strays is Indian Rocks Beach, Fl. The real location is in the homes of volunteers who work relentlessly to save homeless cats of all sizes, shapes and colors. Save Our Strays has medically assisted and adopted out over 8000 cat and kittens since their beginning in 1995. There are no paid employees, just dedicated volunteers who provide shelter in their own home, often working long hours tending to the needs of the felines in their care.

For more information, go toSave Our Strays, Inc. or give then a call at 727 481-5262.

Interested in volunteering? Don’t have time or the ability for long term volunteering? Check with your local shelters to see if you can transport the animals. Even a one time stint can save them. Maybe they have a need for emergency, short-time fostering. Volunteer for a special event or help with a fundraising project. Anything, anytime, anyone can provide a much needed helping hand.

D. Sharon Pruitt of Pink Sherbet Photography

News from Save Our Strays, Inc. reveals a busy summer for their volunteers with the discovery of two separate litters of abandoned kittens. The first set – four one-week old babies – was rescued by a compassionate woman in Largo, Fl. She found the kittens abandoned in a shed. Their tiny eyes were not even open yet. Enter in Save Our Strays volunteer and expert bottle feeder, Val. The task of feeding three tiny Tabbies and one Tortie would require Val’s attention round the clock.

Did she complain? Not at all. She said “They are an absolute joy. Every day they get bigger and accomplish some sort of new ‘kitty feat’.” She also says all four purr a lot when they are taking their bottles.

Val’s cat, Natasha, thinks they are HER babies and has totally taken over the care of them. At the same time this is all going on, Val is also feeding two baby males, and by doing so has virtually saved their lives.

The second set, another foursome, was born among bags of mulch at a Lowe’s garden center in north Pinellas County. These little guys with eyes not yet opened escaped being run over by a forklift. Cara, an employee of Lowe’s saved the Tabby kittens and took them to SOS volunteer Hilda. “Bottle-babies are my specialty,” says St. Petersburg resident Hilda, who set her alarm to feed the baby kitties every two hours. After the kittens have opened their eyes, Hilda scales back the feeding to every two hours. She even takes the kitties with her on days she cares for her grandchildren so they tiny ones do not miss out on their feeding.

Now, that is pure dedication from two very special Save Our Strays, Inc. volunteers. Do you know a volunteer or pet lover with such compassion for the helpless baby animals? Please feel free to tell their story in my comments section. News like this is day brightener for us all.

You can help The Animal Rescue Site choose which eligible Petfinder.com animal rescue organizations will receive special funds to help animals! Easy to do. Participation is simple. You can cast one vote every day for your favorite rescue group.

GreaterGood.org (GGO) is proud to announce “THE 2009 ANIMAL RESCUE SITE $100,000 SHELTER+ CHALLENGE — together with PETFINDER.COM” will grant up to $100,000 USD in support and assistance to select domestic and international animal rescue and welfare organizations.

Most of us are already donating food to the animals through The Animal Rescue Site. You can even sign up for an automatic daily reminder.
I love that! With the daily reminder in your email, all you do is click on the link and you are there. In and done in a matter of seconds and it means so much to the critters. And now for just a few more seconds of your time, vote for the Petfinder.com rescue organization of your choice – it will mean so much to the hardworking, dedicated volunteers.

The contest ends at midnight PST, July 26th, 2009. There is still time to win a grant for a Petfinder.com rescue group near you. I was thrilled to see one of my favorites, Save Our Strays, Inc. of Tampa Bay, FL on the list of eligible rescues organizations and I am voting for them every day.

Get your friends involved and help out the rescue groups.