Help Furry Tales Rescue In Their Hour Of Need!

Hi, my name is Wendy Barrett and I’ve been a friend of Donna Macrae’s for many years and also run a small rescue. I, like all of you, have watched Furry Tales Rescue grow into the incredible organization it is now. Donna literally started Furry Tales with little more than the knowledge that there were so many cats and kittens that needed a safe place to land, a fierce determination to be their voice and an unwavering drive to find them the furever homes each of them deserve. In the six years Donna has been operating nearly 6000 cats and kittens have found safety and new homes. Donna and Sheldon, her husband and partner, have faced many challenging, horrendous and heartbreaking situations but have never wavered in their belief that they could make a difference in the lives of these little critters. The financial and emotional toll that all of these traumas have taken on Donna and Sheldon cannot be understated; many, many rescues have faced only a fraction of what Furry Tales has and have called it quits. I’ve been on the verge of it myself many, many times and I don’t handle a fraction of the cases that they do. Thankfully, through sheer strength of will and the support of so many wonderful people just like yourselves, they have kept going and weathered each challenge, heartbroken and scarred but still standing; until now.

 

What has transpired last week has been nothing short of an absolute tragedy. Donna has never shied away from taking cats and kittens from high-kill pounds and traumatic situations, even when the rescue is full to bursting. And that’s exactly what she did last week, there was a call for help about a massive hoarding situation and Donna opened her heart and rescue to those that had no other chance. Unfortunately those cats and kittens arrived with a disease that strikes terror into the heart of rescuers everywhere. An illness that is so devastating that it kills more than 90% of all those infected and just about 100% of kittens. There Is a simple preventative vaccine but little to no effective treatment except for expensive and often futile supportive treatment, usually under Veterinary care. This virus, Panleukopenia, literally destroys the white blood cells and intestinal lining of those infected, is insanely contagious and lasts in an environment for up to a year and even one spot that has not been disinfected can kill another cat. I have been through this, spent in excess of $10,000 only to bury every single cat that got it and am still deeply traumatized years later.

 

The financial toll that this is going to take on Furry Tales Rescue cannot begin to be calculated at this point. Veterinary costs are massive, supplies and food have to be destroyed, two foster homes have also been infected and my heart goes out to those wonderful people as well. One of Donna’s two catteries will be unusable for up to a year which means that intake will be cut in half and many cats and kittens will not be able to be saved. The emotional toll that this is taking on Donna and Sheldon is immeasurable, their resilience is legendary but this may just be what breaks them completely.

 

I am launching this GoFundMe in an effort to at least take some of the financial burden off Furry Tales shoulders. They still have in excess of 100 cats in care that still need food, vetting and treatment. I am hoping that by doing this we will give Donna and Sheldon a chance to catch their breath, grieve but still be able to help those little creatures in their care and any that miraculously recover. These special babies will need to remain in the Rescue’s care for many months to come as they will still be contagious through their feces and saliva. Furry Tales Rescue needs our help and support more than ever and I know that the Furry Tales community is strong and will rise to help in their hour of need. There is no donation too small, any donation over $20 is eligible for a tax receipt as well. If you are unable to donate at this time, please share this fundraiser far and wide!

 

In the name of those who cannot speak and on behalf of Donna and Sheldon, I thank you for your support❤️