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Humane Society of the Naturecoast

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EMERGENCY PLEA FOR HELP

March 25, 2020 by Patricia Rummel 10 Comments

Emergency plea for help: Barney -- one of the confiscated dogs in our care -- arrived terrified and starving with a broken hip. He is currently healing in foster care.
Meet Barney. He came to us terrified and starving with a broken hip. He is currently healing in foster care.

We realize that, during these difficult times, we are all afraid and suffering the stress of social isolation. However, we ask that you take a moment to remember that the most innocent and helpless among us — the hundreds of cats and dogs that are currently being surrendered or simply abandoned at your local shelters — are in desperate need. This is an emergency plea for help.

Here at the Humane Society of the Nature Coast, we are receiving no less than six calls per day from people wanting to surrender their pets or to find out what to do with the dogs and puppies others have dumped in their neighborhoods.

Emergency plea for help: This cat was locked in a crate for so long, crouched in a foul muck of urine and feces, it suffered urine scalding on its belly and paws so its skin and fur literally sloughed off its body. Please help us continue to pay for her medical treatments.
This cat was locked in a crate for so long, crouched in a foul muck of urine and feces, it suffered urine scalding on its belly and paws. She is safe now and healing in foster care.

Even though it is against the law, punishable by a fine or imprisonment, people are even packing their pets into crates and abandoning them at our gate, sometimes in broad daylight. Several of the animals that have come into our care were pregnant. So three cats and three dogs became 24 kittens and 18 puppies, all of which eventually needed to be bottle-fed.

This is a photo of the horrid space a surrendered cat was forced to live in.
This is where a cat was forced to spend its life.

One surrendered cat had been stuck in a small crate for so long it could not unfold its legs enough to stand and it had been crouched in a foul muck of urine and feces for so long it suffered urine scalding on its belly and paws to where the fur and skin literally sloughed off its body.

So many animals are coming to us in such poor condition – broken bones, shot with BB guns, starved, covered with Mange, Parvo, Heartworm and Ringworm positive – and it’s costing nearly $10,000 per month to provide the life-saving medical treatment they all need.

Please help Waldo. He came to us heartworm positive and very scared. He is responding well to treatment. While he's currently available for adoption, we will cover all necessary medical expenses to continue his care.
Waldo came to us heartworm positive and very scared. He is responding well to treatment so he’s currently available for adoption. Interested hoomans should know we will cover all necessary medical expenses to continue his care.

When people look on our website, they see we have around 45 cats and less than 10 dogs available for adoption. What they don’t realize is we have over 120 animals in our care. However, most are too young or too sick to be available for adoption so – with the help of a small army of fosters — we continue to take care of them all.

We rely totally on the generosity of the community. However, with having to close to the public due to the Corona Virus, the drastic plunge in monetary donations has left us in a critical state. This is truly and emergency plea for help.

Our recent plea through Facebook for food donations has been met with an overwhelming outpouring of generosity from our community. The networking of those in our Animal Village — like Kelly and Bob Detwiller — and other pet businesses — like Paws In Paradise Pet Resort — has enabled us to feed not only our on-premises and foster fur-babies but to also provide emergency rations to people in our community so they can continue to feed their pets during this difficult time.

The outpouring of food donations from our community is helping us keep nearly 120 cats and dogs fed on a daily basis.
The outpouring of food donations from our community is helping us keep nearly 120 cats and dogs — on premises and in foster care — fed on a daily basis.
Emergency plea for help: This photo is of Yoda, a dog brought to us emaciated and covered with mange. Please help us continue his medical care.
This is Yoda, brought to us emaciated and covered with mange.

However, due to the closing of our Saturday Market, we have lost the $300 to $500 income it generated weekly.  Where our mailbox was once full of donations, it is now near empty and over-the-counter donations have dwindled to nearly nothing. Still, while the donations and adoptions have decreased, the number of animals that continue to come into our care – through abandonment, emergency confiscations and surrenders — have increased exponentially. It’s overwhelming, it’s heartbreaking, but it’s our job to be there for these animals.

We are all afraid and stressed and money is so very tight. But we beg you, this is an emergency plea for help. Your donations will literally help us save lives.

Please send your donation to P.O Box 10328, Brooksville, FL 34603 or call (352) 796-2711 to make your donation by phone. PayPal and all major credit card users, click here.

Thank you, bless you, and stay safe.

Category iconBlog Tag iconabandoned animals,  animal shelters,  cats,  dogs,  Humane Society of the Nature COast,  Plea for help

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gina says

    March 26, 2020 at 9:44 pm

    I don’t have much money but I can donate supplies (you wouldn’t accept my blankets). Is there anything else I can donate?

    Reply
    • Patricia Rummel says

      March 27, 2020 at 2:27 pm

      Your caring heart is so beautiful. Don’t apologize for wanting to give when you have little. That’s when giving means the most! With all of the new mamas and tiny pups, your blankets (although it will be a single use for a couple of days and thrown away) would be perfect to keep them comfortable. Towels, wash cloths, cat food and litter. Bless you!

      Reply
      • Rona says

        April 1, 2020 at 10:54 pm

        I would like to donate but not to throw supplies out. Just wondering why the blankets can’t be washed?

        Reply
        • Patricia Rummel says

          April 2, 2020 at 12:54 pm

          Blankets can’t be washed because our washing machine is too small! LOL! Silly thing, but that’s why. Thanks for the inquiry though!

          Reply
  2. Jennifer Taylor says

    April 8, 2020 at 8:32 pm

    Please call or email me and let me know what you need most of during this time and I will do what I can to help out.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Patricia Rummel says

      April 9, 2020 at 2:35 pm

      You are so kind, Jennifer. I will forward your information to the Director of Development immediately. Stay safe!

      Reply
  3. Kristin says

    April 14, 2020 at 3:27 am

    Just saw horrible news story about the theft on Easter. Can you let us all know what you need most? What makes biggest immediate impact? Will call tomorrow as well but figured other people might want to see the response here too. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Patricia Rummel says

      April 15, 2020 at 12:36 pm

      KMR Kitten Milk Replacer!
      Thank you for the love!

      Reply
  4. Carson Ellen says

    April 15, 2020 at 12:55 am

    Heard about the theft , live to far away
    Sending some food your way….
    Chewy
    SUMMARY:
    Order #: 283386348
    Order Date: Apr 14, 2020
    Order Total: $108.09
    SHIPPING ADDRESS:
    Humane Society of the Nature Coast
    7200 MOBLEY RD
    BROOKSVILLE, FL 34601-9056

    Reply
    • Patricia Rummel says

      April 15, 2020 at 12:32 pm

      YOU ARE AMAZING! THANK YOU!

      Reply

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