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Fluffy felt sad that the Easter Bunny would be on lockdown, and tried to cheer up his family's children the best that he could.
It seems hard to be upbeat as we're stuck in our homes, unable to be with our families on Easter and Passover, but we think we have a story that will help you "Adopt" a Positive Attitude. (And yes... there will be fluffy kittens!) |
| | Now more than ever, we need your support. Medical bills continue for our cats in foster, and with shelters closed to adoptions and in some cases to intake, and with kitten season beginning, we are besieged with pleas to take cats and kittens. You can help bring some relief to people staying home by helping us bring a little furry cheer to folks who want a new family member during this time.
Please consider donating now!
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And Now - Our Feature Presentation!
A Tail of Two Kittens
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... if you're an animal rescue.
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| | The email came in from a friend of a FFGW Board member - their daughter had lost her cat to kidney failure, and was looking to adopt a pair of kittens. Did we have any?
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| | It was definitely the worst of times for 16-week old Currant and his tortoiseshell sister Magnolia. The rural shelter they were in was short-staffed and planning on euthanizing all their animals. The plea came in from a transport group - could we take them? TOMORROW?
We were scrambling to empty the adoption center and get all our kitties into foster, advising our fosters that they might have to hold their cats until adoptions could be started again. Where could Currant and Magnolia go?
Suppose... we changed our process and did a "foster-to-adopt"?
We had someone who wanted to adopt kittens... we had kittens that needed a foster... what if they were one and the same? We asked, would she be willing to take them for a short time, and if it turned out that she wanted to keep them, we would process an adoption?
And it was the best of times for Currant and Magnolia!
They were transported to our vet, and our newest foster picked them up from there, and within a few days...
It was clear that they were in their forever home! |
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| © N. Johnson - Used With Permission |
| | Adopting a Positive Attitude
You might be wondering how we are handling adoptions and whether we are continuing to move forward during this pandemic. The answer is we are definitely moving forward. The need for us to assist rural shelters and individuals with cats who need help is unprecedented now, particularly given that non-foster based facilities are closed to the public. This means that their adoptions are grinding to a halt and unless rescue groups like FFGW are able to find a way to step up, many more cats will lose their lives in the coming months.
The Board of FFGW has developed a “hands off adoption“ protocol that applicants and fosters are able to utilize and we are happy to report that we have had many happy adoptions as a result. Using video meet and greets, prospective adopters can see fosters playing and snuggling the cats, and showing the applicant the cat’s personality. Fosters can answer questions and have a conversation about the cat. If the applicant decides they are interested in adopting, we have a “hands off adoption“ -- at a prearranged time, the applicant arrives at the foster home having done all paperwork on line and there is a contactless transfer.
Unprecedented times call for creative thinking or “thinking outside the litter box“ as we like to say. Please note that the above protocol is only put in place if both the foster and adopter feel comfortable with it. Any fosters who are not comfortable moving forward at this time will just continue to care for their foster cats until such time as the social interaction restrictions are lifted and we all are comfortable and allowed to go back to our former protocols.
Thank you for helping us answer the pleas from desperate cats like Magnolia and Currant!
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| | | | Ok, There's An Elephant A Tiger In the Room... |
| | | By now, you have no doubt heard that a tiger at the Bronx Zoo has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease COVID-19, and that a cat in Belgium has tested positive as well. There is much that we do not yet know about this virus, but it is important to understand that in each case, a human gave the virus to the animal, and there is no evidence that cats can infect humans.
For more information, we recommend reading this post by Dr. Ingrid Neisman, the Director of the SDSU Electron Microscope Imaging Facility at San Diego State University, who has 30 years of experience in technical electron microscopy, cell biology, neuroscience and infectious disease research.
Here's a great summary infografic from Dr. Jessica Vogelsong, an author and veterinarian: |
| | © Jessica Vogelsong - Used With Permission |
| | | Adoption Fairs
Reston Monthly Fair Postponed Until Further Notice
Leesburg Weekly Fair Leesburg PetSmart Postponed Until Further Notice
Looking for a new cat for your family? Get pre-approved for adoption by filling out an adoption form online today.)
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We've Gone Home!
Adopted Cats - March 2020
(33)
Zebo, Oreo, Vader, Odin, Ridley, Clark Gable, Matty, Chloe, Tiny Tim, Tigger, Queen, King, Bernie, Carson, Dandy, Clyde, Bonnie, Pumpkin, Custard, Soda, Mars, Velvet, Squeak, Hayden, Vanta, Olivia, Akia, Chloe-2, Baby Yoda, Oreo-2, Busy Bee & Tilly
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