Volunteers and foster parents needed for kittens too young to fully feed themselves
(Miami, May 1, 2014) –Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department (ASD) is looking for volunteers and foster parents to help feed very young kittens abandoned at the shelter. To be kept alive, the kittens need to be hand fed in order to supplement what they can eat on their own.
Those wanting to help can either volunteer to come to the shelter to hand feed the kittens or foster the kittens in their own homes. Volunteers and foster parents will receive training and supplies and the joy that comes from saving a precious little animal’s life.
“Spring is kitten season for community cats and we are currently experiencing a large intake of very young kittens at the shelter that need hand feeding with a syringe to be kept alive. There is a critical need for volunteers to come to the shelter or foster parents to help us save their lives,” said Alex Muñoz, Director of Miami-Dade County Animal Services. “
To volunteer to feed kittens at the shelter, email [email protected] and write “Syringe feeding ASD kittens” in the subject line.
To become a foster parent for the shelter, email [email protected] and write “Foster parent for ASD kittens” in the subject line.
WHAT TO DO SHOULD YOU FIND A LITTER OF KITTENS
During the warmer months it is not unusual to come across a littler of seemingly unattended kittens or even a lone kitten. ASD advises residents who may find a litter of kittens in their community to consider the following recommendations:
• Resist the urge to immediately touch them or move them. Instead, observe the kittens for 12 to 24 hours as the mother may simply be out looking for food or a better place to move them to. Very young kittens cannot fully feed themselves and need their mother’s milk to survive until they are fully able to eat on their own or weaned off the mother.
• If you sense the kittens are in immediate danger or a dangerous area, such as underneath a car, in an area that is flooding due to rain, etc., look for the nearest safe area to which you can move them that will still allow the mother to find them. Place them in a sheltered area, away from direct sun, rain or traffic and continue to watch for the mother.
• If after you have observed the kittens for 12 to 24 hours and are SURE the mother is not likely to return, or if the kittens are in obviously poor health or injured, then by all means pick them up and care for them.
About Miami-Dade County Animal Services
Every year Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department (ASD) provides care and refuge for over 27,000 unwanted dogs and cats. Every day, ASD staff and volunteers work diligently to find life-long homes for these abandoned animals by facilitating onsite adoptions, hosting off-site adoption at events and locations throughout the community, and working collaboratively with over 70 rescue organizations who share in our goal of a No Kill Miami-Dade County.
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It is the policy of Miami Dade County to comply with all of the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The facility is accessible. For sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices or materials in accessible format, please call 305-418-7188 at least five days in advance.