Current News

We took in ten new kittens in. Four from a owner give up and six where rescued from a home in Port Charlotte. No food and or water, just the mothers milk and the kittens where living in the boiling hot sun. I would have gave those kitties a few more days to live and they would have died if they stayed their.

So Chrissy and I took the kittens but the folks refused to give up the mothers, matter of fact I thought I was going to get in a good old fashion fist fight with the guy, when he went to attack Chrissy, that’s right ,he tried to attack my wife, for saying the kittens will die where they are.

We where forced to leave the mothers. We have a foster MaMa kitty taking care of the little chicken heads right now. But remember folks I'm not a tough guy anymore and I do not have Fists of Fury, just fists covered in jelly donuts. Yummy. So I was wondering if that young man would have like some salt with his Pepper Spray, if he tried to harm us.

Anyway, the reason I'm telling you this, is that folks are not very nice sometimes during a rescue and they can turn on you in a heartbeat ,this is what we have to face when we go out and save these kittens from people who should not have pets in the first place.

We had our very first Volunteer Meeting on Sunday which went great, over 100 folks showed up. Just kidding, but we will be at those numbers one day .So watch out for the power of Puffy Paws.

Tennis Legend Martina Navratilova Helps Puffy Paws Kitty Haven
It’s Community Thing !
By Rick Kingston

When Puffy Paws Kitty Haven started out unofficially over ten years ago, it was my wife and I saving one kitty after another. The next thing you knew their where kitties everywhere in our home, it was like we where living in a Children’s Story Book.

In the Fall of 2006 we decided to go Non-Profit to better serve the kitties and I know at that point that’s when Puffy Paws Kitty Haven slowly became a Community Thing.

In the Summer of 2007, thanks to the great media coverage we received ,the Community slowly awoke to the fact that their was a No-Kill Kitty Haven in town. Now their was a place that would take their kitties in case they could not take care of them any longer.

We had one heartbreak story after another. One brave lady who was dying in Hospice, one morning she was greeted with the news by her children, that Puffy Paws Kitty Haven took her kitties and that brought a peaceful smile to her face. A few days latter she passed away and we still have her kitties Her children latter told us latter she was so grateful and relived that we took her kitties in.

We just took in a beautiful blind kitty with a thyroid condition name Prissy because the owners where losing their homes. She is such a sweet heart. All these kitties deserve a second chance and that’s what they got when they hit the doors of Puffy Paws.

Everything for Puffy Paws is still slowly evolving .There is so much work to be done and we can not do it alone but with the community we can achieve our goals. And I tell you now that this Community Thing has already begun.

Last week , Tennis Legend Martina Navratilova and her, Pet Care Fund donated 1,000 dollars to Puffy Paws Kitty Haven so that we may pay a outstanding bill. Robin Melvin of Special Effects of Boca Grande donated over 1,000 dollars last week. And donations
for $10, $50 & 100 keep showing up in the mail box. Folks are dropping off kitty litter, food and towels each week. Just another example of Puffy Paws Kitty Haven,It’s A Community Thing !

To ease the burden of my wife’s day, we now have a Volunteer name Vickie who is our errand runner. She has been a great help in getting the cat food and litter on a daily basic. She is a life saver to Chrissy who work up to 20 hours a day for the kitties.

We also have a Volunteer Coordinator name Jackie, and so far she arranged and held, 3 pets adoption events at Petssuper Market in Venice in the past two weeks.

Also she is organizing our first major Adoptathon at Mike’s Pet Store in Englewood (447 S Indiana Ave),on Saturday June 7th,2008 from 10am - 4pm.

Their will be music, fun and lots of kitties to adopt. The normal adoption fee of $72 will be cut in half to $36 for all kittens and kitties and Senior cats will only be $25 instead of $50. Thanks to the Synder Law Group, who will donate the difference to Puffy Paws Kitty Haven. Just another example of Puffy Paws Kitty Haven, It’s A Community Thing !

In addition to helping the kitties with the adoption event ,The Synder Law has donated thousands of dollars of legal services in filing the final paper work with the IRS for Puffy Paws Kitty Haven, 501(c)(3) statues, and they are also paying the $750 filing fee that is required. Just another example of Puffy Paws Kitty Haven, It’s A Community Thing !

One of biggest problems here at Puffy Paws is that we needed to get the kitties in the great outdoors so we asked the community for help and they came through once again. The folks at Purr…fect Cat Fence donated a fence. Purr..fect Fence is the first complete, free-standing, backyard fence enclosure for cats. Now the kitties can safely enjoy all the benefits of the great outdoors, without us worrying about their safety. Just another example of Puffy Paws Kitty Haven, It’s A Community Thing !

When we needed a Company Vehicle to drive, once again the community came through and donated 2 drivable vehicles. Now we are supporting the kitties with unwanted vehicles and the community is coming through by donating junk vehicles so that we may run the Haven. Just another example of Puffy Paws Kitty Haven,It’s A Community Thing !

And one last note. The kitties and staff would like to say we can not do it alone but together as a Community, we can do it together and keep saving the lives of many unwanted kitties. Thank You for being our friend !And remember Puffy Paws Kitty Haven ,It’s A Community Thing !