Who Pays if a Stray/Abandoned Animal Needs an Amputation to Live?

What happens when a stray or abandoned cat or dog needs an amputation in order to survive and, hopefully, find a loving and caring owner?
Recently I heard or saw a public service announcement asking for donations to help support the amputation fund at a local animal shelter. Being the proud owners of two rescue kitties, Marmalade ("Marley") and Marmaduke ("Duke") this really made me stop and think.

You see, our cat Duke (pictured above) needed his right back leg amputated when he was just a kitten. This was almost 10 years ago and the bill was around $800 even back then!

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So what happens when a "fur baby" lands at the Humane Society and is either injured or diseased and needs an amputation? Who pays for it?

According to the PSA I heard, there is a special set of funds allocated for just that purpose. I had never thought of that. Apparently, the fund is low on cash and is in need of donations. While the charitable organization, and others that do the Lord's work like it, run on tight budgets and the kindness of volunteers. Money is always needed for obvious needs like food, medicine and kennels but surgical procedures can get spendy fast!

Looking at the Humane Society's website (www.YakimaHumane.org), there is a section dedicated to an emergency medical fund. I have to believe that amputations would definitely fall under that category. They state that the fund "enables us to provide life-saving medical care to injured or sick cats and dogs who arrive at our shelter; these animals would otherwise face the possibility of euthanasia without the medical treatment necessary to rehabilitate them. Once rehabilitated, these special pets can be adopted into a new loving home. Your gift gives them a second chance."

Knowing how much love and joy our amputee kitty has brought us, I will be making a donation in honor of Marmaduke. If you would like to follow suit, click on the button below.

Click Here to donate to Humane Society Emergency Fund

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