1/14/26 - Huerro's emergency vet bill has been paid off in full, but we are still raising money to help cover some of the cost of getting the cats around Elizabeth's home fixed (including Huerro's siblings/relatives!). Please donate here or at bayareacats.org/donate with a note "for Huerro!". Donations made directly to Bay Area Cats are tax-deductible.

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My name is Allison, and I am raising funds to cover the cost of emergency vet care for Huerro, a friendly community cat and a victim/survivor of cruelty and violence. I currently work part-time in mental health, with the rest of my time spent volunteering doing TNR and occasional fostering for harder-to-adopt cats (e.g., FIV+ and undersocialized cats).

On the evening of January 8th, I came across a Nextdoor post from Elizabeth asking for help for a cat that had been apparently shot with a crossbow bolt in East San Jose. Elizabeth had no way to transport the cat to the vet (she doesn't drive and it was after 11 p.m.) or pay for the care. I offered to take the cat to VEG in San Jose and take financial responsibility so Elizabeth wouldn't have to surrender Huerro to the shelter as a stray. At VEG, they determined that the bolt pierced through the base of Huerro's tail and fractured the vertebrae. They were able to remove the bolt, and he is recovering with Elizabeth. The vet expressed that his tail may need to be amputated if complications arise, but the plan is to monitor for now since he is still able to move his tail.

When I dropped Huerro off I gave Elizabeth a carrier, a couple litterboxes, some litter, a cat bed, and flea medicine.

The total cost for Huerro's hospitalization and surgery was $1,657.81. I am grateful to have CareCredit, which allows 6 months of no interest if paid in full, so I am hoping to raise enough to allow me to pay off the charge before 6 months. I will update with the itemized invoice once I receive the paperwork from VEG, so for now, I have posted a copy of the CareCredit receipt.