Every creature, no matter how small, has the right to a safe and loving home. This belief was put to the test. In Visalia, California a group of five very small kittens faced a terrible start to their lives. Weighing less than a pound each and only three weeks old, they were found in a terrible situation—tied up inside a plastic bag and left alone in an onion field in Huron. If not for their tiny cries, they might not have survived.
Desperate Meows
Luckily, someone walking nearby heard them and couldn’t ignore their desperate meows. This Good Samaritan quickly rescued them from this dangerous spot. News about these kittens spread on social media and caught the attention of Alexis Oxford, who works with animals at Valley Oak SPCA in Visalia. Moved by their story, she decided to help.
The first day and a half were touch-and-go. Alexis explained that the kittens were very weak and needed a lot of help. “They were really in rough shape when we got them,” she said. Since they were used to their mother, Alexis had to feed them by hand because they couldn’t use a bottle properly yet.
Alexis knows a lot about caring for rescued animals because she grew up around them—her mom runs a non-profit for animals in Coalinga. The kittens needed feeding every few hours, day and night, but her hard work paid off. Slowly, the kittens started to get better.
Abandoned Animals Is Not Rare
In about five weeks, they’ll be strong enough to leave the shelter and find permanent homes where they can be loved and cared for. This story of rescue is a reminder of the harsh realities many abandoned animals face.
Tessa Johnson, who helps with adoptions at the shelter, says finding abandoned animals is sadly not rare. The shelter tries to help as many as it can, but they rely on donations to keep running. Unfortunately, there are many animals like these kittens that need help. “We currently have five puppies with parvo that were also found abandoned,” Tessa added.
Abandoning animals is cruel and against the law. In counties like Tulare Kings in Fresno, there are at least a dozen shelters that help animals who have nowhere else to go. These places depend on people in the community to donate money or time to help make a difference.
Toledo, United States.
