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ADL In Dire Need Of New Foster Homes For Sudden Increase In Abandoned Puppies And Kittens

Eileen Pace
/
TPR News

An increasing number of abandoned newborn kittens have been reported across the city, and the Animal Defense League is putting out a call for fosters to help take care of them.

ADL spokesman Hugo Vital said the younger kittens have strained resources at the no-kill shelter. 

"Like in the case of three kittens that were just surrendered to us, they will require feeding every two to three hours,"Vital said. "It's almost like having a newborn baby in your home. They're going to require a lot more attention on a regular basis."

Not all of the abandoned kittens needing foster homes are newborn, and Vital says fosters can choose whether to take older kittens or younger ones. He said ADL is working to increase its database of fosters because the need continues to be great.

"Yeah, the need right now is for (fosters to take) kittens and puppies because we're seeing more and more phone calls on a regular basis for these newborns," Vital said. "And one great thing that the shelter does is we provide all of the necessary items: puppy food, kitten food, the formula, puppy pads, you name it."

Fosters also provide temporary homes to adults animals -- both dogs and cats -- and some take in special needs animals who have heartworms or other illnesses or who have been injured.

Potential animal fosters should contact the ADL Foster Coordinator Ted Herrera at foster@adltexas.org or at (210) 655-1481, ext. 123.

Eileen Pace is a veteran radio and print journalist with a long history of investigative and feature reporting in San Antonio and Houston, earning more than 50 awards for investigative reporting, documentaries, long-form series, features, sports stories, outstanding anchoring and best use of sound.