PAWS Magazine

Issue 38, Summer 1998

From the Heart

Our busiest time of the year is our neediest time of the year

Every business has its busy season. For retailers, its Christmas time. For lawn mower repair shops, its spring. For PAWS, it is definitely summer. This July we received close to 200 kittens into our care. The average daily intake of animals at the Wildlife Center jumped from 10 animals a day to sometimes over 50 animals a day. This influx of animals stretches PAWS’ resources to the limit.

Yet we manage. Our foster care coordinator, Ann Watkins, works extra hard to coordinate the care of the hundreds of needy kittens. Our shelter staff and volunteers put in extra time to feed and clean up after animals that fill our kennels and cages. Our Wildlife Center staff becomes very adept at feeding and caring for dozens and dozens of raccoons, starlings, eagles, bears, ducks, opossums, and other wildlife.

This extra effort on PAWS’ part costs extra money. Money to pay for vaccines, kitten formula, wildlife food, and surgical supplies. PAWS is entirely dependent on donations for our operating budget. We rely on you.

There are many supporters who give us $5 or $10 regularly and we want you to know just how much we appreciate you. Pooled together, your gifts add up to tens of thousands of dollars that help keep us going. Thank you.

This busy summer season has been especially hard on us, and we are hoping that all of you who send us gifts—whether it’s $27 to provide vaccination and a veterinary examination for a cat or dog in the shelter, or $500 to help pay for a new pool for sea bird and marine mammal rehabilitation—can find your way to sending us an extra check. We need your help during this most critical season of the year.

Kathy Kelly