Page 5 - Kind News magazine, November/December 2020

“Where are the cats?”

“Who did they sleep with last night?”

These are the questions that swirl around Jayden and Brianna Anderson
and their stepsister Madison Shea as they get up each morning. When
school closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their family decided it was
time to get a cat. They found brother and sister cats they named Merlin and
Mystique at Dakin Humane Society in Springfield, Massachusetts.

“The adoption very young animals need. Volunteers who take
was all done with very young or sick shelter pets into their homes
videos, texts, and are called foster caregivers.
phone chat,” says “It’s something to look forward to and enjoy
opposite page, redrover; this page, from top: redrover; bottom: valeri vatel/bigstock.
Mr. Anderson. when there’s so much we can no longer do,” says
Dakin switched Sensor. Every four hours, she feeds three six-week-
to no-contact old kittens she named Teddy, Paddington, and
adoptions right Winnie. They were brought into the shelter in a
away, meeting shoebox at just two weeks old without their mother.
adopters curbside November 1-7 is National Animal Shelter Apprecia-
for pick-ups. The tion Week. What can you do to help? Contact your
shelter began local shelter to see what its needs are. Many shelters
requiring its staff can use donations for busy pet food banks that give
to wear masks in the building two to three weeks to pet guardians in need. “If people have food for
before the state required it. their pets, they are less likely to bring them to a
“What’s interesting is that as an animal shelter, shelter,” says Melissa Korzuch, President of Prince
the staff is very much used to disinfecting and William SPCA, a group that
putting on protective gear,” says Carmine DiCenso, supports needy animals at
Dakin’s Executive Director. “We understand how the county shelter. “Pet food
disease spreads.” assistance keeps pets with
Four hundred miles south in Virginia, tiny kittens families, and that’s good for
learn to play in the homes of volunteers from the everyone.” If you drop off
Prince William County Animal Shelter. Volunteer donations to a shelter,
Ingrid Sensor’s regular workplace closed, leaving remember to practice social
her home to give the around-the-clock care that distancing and wear a mask!

www.pwspca.org Prince William SPCA also provides
Kind News to over 450 classrooms
in their area! That’s more than
13,000 students!

Nov/Dec 2020 | 5