A GROUP of passionate animal lovers in Amanzimtoti have opened their homes and hearts to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming abandoned kittens.
Hand Rearing Kitten Rescue Toti, a non-profit company established in the beginning of the year, consists of a group of women who dedicate their time and money to fostering kittens, which are bottle feed from birth to five-weeks-old, before being healthy and strong enough to be adopted into a loving family.
One of the organisations’ founders, Jaylene Rittmuller, said it all started when a friend reached out to her, to ask if she could help look after kittens that a women dumped on the road, in the rain. Ever since then, she and her fellow foster moms have made it their mission to look after these unwanted, abandoned and/or injured kittens in hopes of giving them a second chance at life.
“We often receive phone calls about kittens in need. We have dealt with a variety of cases, such as kittens which were premature, attacked by dogs, thrown out moving vehicles, caught in snares as well as kittens as a result of irresponsible owners who did not sterilise their cats and are now left with kittens they cannot care for,” she said.
Jaylene added that the work they do can be emotional, but rewarding when they are able to rehabilitate a kitten who would have otherwise died without their help.
They currently have about 50 kittens split between foster moms, with hundreds more that have already been fostered, rehabilitated and rehomed. However, with passion and caring for kittens in need, comes the financial burden for everyday kitten care, sterilisations and hefty vet bills.
They appeal to the community for donations and/or funding towards vet bills, medication and food, as they rely solely on the community for support. They also urge the community to sterilise their pets to ensure they do not end up with unwanted animals.
Items on their Christmas wish list include: kitten wet and dry food, kitten milk, litter, baby wipes, Protexin, baby blankets and kitten dewormer.
For more information, to make a donation or to adopt, contact Jaylene Rittmuller on 084 559 2590.
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