Helen Krause Animal Foundation

Just so you know, we are having difficulty with our phones lines at the moment.  Anyone calling in gets a message that the voice mail is full, but we've retrieved everything we can and don't know what else we can do until the phone company figures out what the problem is.  Sigh -

Otherwise, it's a new year with the same old issues.  Too many animals abandoned by their human companions or born without knowing comfort of a home.  It's easy to be complacent about it when the weather is as mild as it has been.  Today's bitter cold wind and the sight of cats huddled by the door of a nearby farm house reminds me that there is a still so much to be done.  That brings me to our "Christmas Present" received in late November.

Holly’s story:  We received an email from a Perry Co. woman who found a cat in her yard that appeared to be blind and possibly deaf.  She had approached the kitty who did not respond to her voice or movement. When the woman touched her, Holly as she is now known, meowed but did not hiss. So, she picked the cat up and was rewarded with a purr.

She took her back toward the house, but had to set her down. The cat proceeded to bump her way along the home where she found an opening under the deck which she scooted into. The woman couldn't call to her, but did set down food and water and contacted us.  Even though we have limited room, the decision was made that because this creature is so defenseless, we had to find a spot for her.  So the Cat Surrender Chair contacted the woman to let her know we would take the cat in.

Unfortunately, another email came through that the kitty was gone. Our hearts sank as we all thought the worst for this fragile creature.

It was suggested that the woman continue to put out food and notify the neighbors.  Four days went by and then the  surrender chairperson received a happy phone call. The kitty was there.  It had been pouring rain, so the cat must have been hiding deep under the deck to stay dry and could not be seen.  All home projects were dropped and an emergency surrender was done late that Sat. afternoon in November. She is a very small, thin calico with a lot of spunk and sweetness. We named her Holly. The vet determined she is blind and deaf, has high blood pressure and high kidney values.

She is living in the Special Needs room with our other blind cat, Autumn. Their common affliction has not endeared them to one another however.  So, each day she explores more of her surroundings and has gotten the interest of old man Billy Bob who sometimes curls up next to her in the bed.

We believe the sad story for this kitty is that someone either no longer wanted to care for her or moved away and put her out. Had the kind woman not been alert to her plight and ignored her, she surely would have not survived much longer in the elements. 

And thankfully we were able to help her.  More often than we like we have to turn down pleas for help because the request doesn't fit our mission (to help abandoned, abused and stray animals) and our resources are limited by space and money.  Wouldn't it be a blessing if we were no longer needed?   

On a positive note, we have a new corporate sponsor to start the year off right - NJRX, Inc. Their philosophy is Work should be Fun.   Come volunteer with us and enjoy the company of creatures grateful for your care!

2012 CALENDARS

There's still a few calendars available.  The price the same as last year - $12.00. Carl Photography in Boiling Springs did a wonderful job again creating a beautiful calendar.   To order, either come by the shelter or mail a check for $12.00 (NO mailing costs in a nod to the economic times) to:  HOKAFI, P.O. Box 311, Mechanicsburg, PA  17055-0311.