Ever wondered what it’s like to be part of a real-life rescue story – the kind you see on Animal Planet?

Now’s your chance!

For the first time ever, SAFE Haven for Cats is giving one lucky winner and a guest exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to our SAFE Care Spay/Neuter Clinic. You’ll join Dr. Tiffany Kutner and her incredible team for three hours as they perform surgeries from spay and neuter to other procedures like dental extractions, eye surgeries, and more that help care for cats who depend on them for a second chance.

You’ll see what makes SAFE Care truly special: the precision, teamwork, and heart that go into every surgical procedure. You’ll witness firsthand how your support transforms fear into hope and second chances into forever homes for our SAFE Haven cats.

During your time with the team, you’ll see:

• What it takes to spay or neuter cats
• How this one surgery can reduce the number of homeless cats
• The SAFE Care Clinic team work together to provide top-notch care for the animals we serve

Whiskers and Wellness: The SAFE Care Experience

🎟️ How to Enter:
1 entry for $500
5 entries for $1,000 – best value!

GHOST TICKET: Want to support without stepping into surgery? Buy a Ghost Ticket for $50 to cheer from the sidelines and help more cats get the care they deserve. With an ever-increasing need, your support can help us provide more surgeries, which means fewer homeless cats. This level is NOT included in the raffle prize drawing.

This is your moment to go beyond adoption and donations and experience what it truly means to save lives every single day. Buy your Whiskers and Wellness: The SAFE Care Experience raffle ticket today!

🗓️ Raffle runs October 27 – November 7

The winner will be announced on November 10 and will have the opportunity to choose from select dates/times to join Dr. Kutner and the team for their unforgettable experience.

Your pets are family, and keeping them safe is what family does. Bring your cat or dog to SAFE Haven for Cats for our Vaccination & Microchip Clinic on Saturday, November 8, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Rabies and distemper vaccines are only $5 each, and microchips are $15. Vaccines and microchips will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are in line by 12:30 pm, you’ll be seen as long as our supplies last.

Vaccination and Microchip Clinic
Saturday, November 8, 2025
9:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.
8411 Garvey Drive, Suite 133C

Why Vaccinate Against Rabies and Distemper?
Rabies and distemper are both dangerous, highly contagious diseases, but the good news is, they’re easily preventable with vaccines. Protecting your pets protects your whole community. (And remember: rabies vaccination is required by NC law for all dogs and cats over 4 months old!)

Why Microchipping Matters
If your pet ever gets lost, a microchip gives them the best chance of making it home. Just the size of a grain of rice, this tiny device can be scanned by shelters and vets to reunite you quickly. Pets with microchips are up to three times more likely to be returned to their families.

Know Before You Go

• • Pet Cats: Must be in carriers.
  • Feral Cats: Must come in a trap. We will only be offering 1-year rabies for ferals; no other services are available at this time.
  • Dogs must be on a leash.
  • Payment will be taken at the event. Cash is preferred, but we also accept major credit cards.
  • You do not need to register in advance for this event.
  • You may need to stand in line outside of our facility to wait for your turn to be seen. Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring water!

PRICES

• • Rabies Vaccination: $5*
  • FVRCP (Cats – Distemper) Vaccination: $5
  • DHPP (Dog – Distemper) Vaccination: $5
  • Microchip: $15

* The 3-year rabies vaccine is available for animals with a valid and current vaccination certificate. The certificate must be displayed at check-in. Otherwise, the one-year rabies vaccine will be administered. We must have the rabies certificate. A rabies tag is not sufficient evidence of the pet’s vaccination status according to state law.
*The 3-year distemper vaccine is available for animals with a valid and current vaccination status. Please bring your pet’s veterinary records to the clinic and present them at check-in.

This past Sunday, when most of us were enjoying a day of rest, Ashlyn, our dedicated Lead Veterinary Assistant, was spending time at a partner shelter, helping feral cats get the resources they need. That’s when the staff there introduced her to Freya.

Freya was just six months old, a tiny black kitten with a life-or-death deadline. That very day was her final hold date, the date she needed to find someone to rescue her before being euthanized in the overcrowded shelter.

Ashlyn immediately saw that something was very wrong. Freya had a massive bulge on her side. Ashlyn knew it was a possible hernia. She quickly sent photos and medical records to our Medical Director, Dr. Kutner, who knew right away this was serious. The question wasn’t just should we help, but could we?

A Complex, Lifesaving Surgery

Once Freya arrived at SAFE Haven, it became clear just how urgent her condition was. Some of her organs were protruding through her abdominal wall. Without surgery, her organs could have become entrapped, cutting off blood flow, leading to sepsis or even sudden death.

Imaging confirmed what we feared: both her small and large intestines, along with her bladder, had slipped into the hernia and were sitting just under her skin. It was painful, dangerous, and life-threatening.

Our medical team quickly prepared for a surgery unlike any they had ever seen. In fact, in more than 20 years of veterinary medicine, Dr. Kutner had never encountered a case quite like Freya’s. Once in surgery, our team determined that, thankfully, this issue wasn’t caused by trauma or abuse, but was something Freya had been born with. She had been born with gaps in her linea, the lining in her body that stabilizes her core to keep everything in place. These gaps had resulted in a massive hernia, and her bladder had adhered to her body wall.

The surgery was complex, six times longer than our typical surgery. Our skilled team worked to carefully detach her bladder from her body wall and get it and her other organs back where they belonged, then repair the hernia that stretched over half her tiny body.

The good news? Freya survived.

Recovery and Hope

Freya is now recovering in the loving care of our Clinic Services Manager, Brandi. While she still faces risks and possible long-term complications, this little fighter finally has a chance at life.

But lifesaving care like this comes at a cost. Between her diagnostic imaging, the specialized surgery, and her ongoing recovery, Freya’s care will be more than $7,500.

You Can Help Cats Like Freya

When SAFE Haven says “yes” to a cat, it’s because of you. Your generosity makes it possible for us to take on the tough cases. These are the cats others may have to turn away due to a lack of resources. Without you, Freya would not be here today.

Will you help us cover the cost of Freya’s care so we can continue saying “yes” to cats like her?

Every gift, no matter the size, helps ensure that no cat is beyond hope. Thank you for standing with Freya and with SAFE Haven.

When Minty first arrived at SAFE Haven for Cats in early February, she was in critical condition. This three-and-a-half-year-old girl had been living with a colony of feral cats, but she wasn’t doing well. She was congested, struggling to eat, and clearly very sick.

Our veterinary team discovered Minty was battling multiple health challenges: a severe case of feline herpes, scarring on her eyes from untreated upper respiratory infections, and, ultimately, Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), a serious and often fatal disease caused by a mutated feline coronavirus. Minty’s journey wasn’t easy. She required two weeks of IV fluids and antibiotics given five times a day before she was even stable enough for lab tests.

For most cats in a shelter environment, an FIP diagnosis is a death sentence. But SAFE Haven can give the time and resources to provide needed care because of our community’s support.

Treatment for FIP is not only time-intensive, but it’s also the most expensive in-house medical treatment SAFE Haven provides. Dosages often need to change daily, based on even the smallest changes in a cat’s weight. On top of that, FIP caused permanent kidney damage for Minty, which has led to renal disease. While some cats can manage this with prescription diets, Minty was a picky princess when it came to her food. Instead, our team managed her care with daily kidney supplements and fluid treatments every three days.

Through it all, Minty showed remarkable resilience. She may have been fragile when she arrived, but her personality quickly began to shine through. She’s a feisty little firecracker who is selective about her friends, but when you’re in her inner circle, you’ll have one of the most loyal companions you could ask for.

Fox, one of our Shelter Veterinary Assistants, was one of Minty’s favorites. With her chosen humans, she loves affection, tolerates being picked up, and proves that cats with medical challenges still have so much love to give.

Caring for Minty required tremendous resources: specialized medications, daily treatments, veterinary oversight, and the dedication of our entire team. But we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Your support makes this possible. Because of generous donors, cats like Minty get the chance to heal, grow, and live their best lives.

Minty’s story is proof of what compassion can do. Thank you for standing with her, and with every cat who deserves a second chance.