Lifesaving with a Twist continued

Ringworm
This year, we’ve taken in a high volume of kittens and cats infected with ringworm who had nowhere else to turn. This highly contagious fungus requires lengthy treatment times and strict isolation protocols – resources that are beyond the means of many of our partner rescues. Sometimes these kittens suffer from severe upper respiratory infections, which need to be treated at the same time. At our highest point this summer, we had four full isolation wards between our Santa Rosa and Healdsburg shelters!

What enables us to expand our capacity to take in the most vulnerable animals? The compassion and coordination of many, including:

Our Beloved Volunteers
Our staff is grateful for our dedicated volunteers who spend several hours a day assisting with dip treatments and socializing of infected cats to help them feel comfortable and loved.

As Saffron Williams, HSSC Feline Behavior Program Manager, explains, “cats who are undergoing treatment for ringworm could, if only given attention during medication, form a negative association with humans. Having consistent visitors who will play with them, sit with them while they eat, and pet and otherwise handle them, ensures that they will have positive experiences with people.”

Mary, one of these special volunteers, goes the extra mile and creates disposable toys by hand from recycled materials. While these kitties are living in isolated wards for weeks at a time, Mary and her kicker toys give them much needed enrichment.

Our foster volunteers are another reason we are able to save animals when they need us most. They open their homes to animals recovering from illness or surgery - or baby animals not yet ready for adoption - so that we have space to care for more animals in our shelters. HSSC Foster Program Manager Nicole Gonzales is currently seeking fosters to help with some of our most sensitive groups – bottle baby kittens and those with infectious diseases, like ringworm. “Ringworm fostering requires a dedicated space for the animals that can be easily disinfected,” she explains. “A spare bathroom or bedroom with tile flooring works well.” Foster parents wear personal protective equipment, and we provide all materials and trainings necessary.

Our Regional Rescue Partners
Shelters across the country have been dealing with an unprecedented overcrowding this year and our area is no different. We salute our North Bay rescue partners who collaborate with us to provide lifesaving pathways for at-risk animals. At a time when our industry continues to face staffing shortages and other complex challenges, their passion and hard work keep us moving forward toward our shared goal of saving more lives. We are all in this together!

Our Compassionate Donors
Your commitment to the animals enables us to be nimble and responsive when precious lives are at stake. While our industry continues to navigate challenging times, you are truly making a lifesaving difference – you make it possible for us to answer these calls for help. Your compassionate contributions to our Angels Fund go directly toward medical care for animals in need on their path to adoption. Thank you for making our community a safe place for animals to thrive through your loving support.

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