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Meet the SAFE Haven Team – Lauren

Meet the SAFE Haven Team – Lauren

Lauren Key has a hands-on role in caring for the cats in our community! As a veterinary assistant at the SAFE Care Spay/Neuter Clinic, she uses her knowledge of handling and interacting with animals to create as fear-free of an experience as possible. Her experience in surgery also helps her practice good medicine.

Get to know Lauren:

Why did you choose SAFE Haven to work at?
I love the organization, mission, and the entire staff’s dedication to the cats.

What do you love about cats?
Everything! I love how each cat has its own, individual personality, and enjoy how low-maintenance they are. My favorite thing about cats is the boundaries they set!

Do you have any pets?

I do! I have Lilly, a 16-year-old Shih Tzu; Milo, 1.5-year-old Maine Coon mix; Lola (Milo’s sister!), also a 1.5-year-old Maine Coon mix; and Gypsy, a 1-year-old DSH kitten from SAFE Haven! She was formerly known as Green Bean Casserole and is in my picture, post-spay.

Fun Fact:
I plan to go to vet school and am applying this upcoming cycle. In the future, I want to own a purebred Maine Coon!!

The Cat Chronicle –  January 2024

The Cat Chronicle – January 2024

Opportunities Galore

Ready to start 2024 with a bang? Well, get ready to make a difference with SAFE Haven! Join us on January 10 for the first-ever SAFE Haven Opportunity Fest! It’s a volunteer and career fair that gives you a sneak peek at how you can join our fantastic team and help save lives! Whether you’re a vet tech searching for your next gig or feel like becoming a volunteer superhero, we’ve got the scoop on all the exciting opportunities waiting for you. Want to know more? Click here.

 

Save the Date – Tuxedo Cat Ball 2024

Tuxedo Cat Ball is swinging back to the North Ridge Country Club on Friday, April 12. We’re inviting all you cool cats to bop with us on the dance floor, enjoy excellent food, delicious wine, and our silent and live auctions that will mean lives saved. Tickets will go on sale on January 15 at 8 am!

Sponsors and Auction Items Needed!

Want to be an active part of making the Tuxedo Cat Ball a hip night?

Is 2024 the Year of a New Kitty?

Getting ready for your feline friend can be exciting. From cute collars to fun toys, there’s a lot to consider and buy, but have you considered how to prepare the space? By prepping a little and following a transition plan that will help your cat get settled, you’ll set yourself up for a lifetime of happiness! Get tips on helping your new cat feel safe and secure.

Save the Date

 

 

 

Click here to DONATE

So many opportunities!

So many opportunities!

Was your New Year’s resolution to get more involved in your community? SAFE Haven has plenty of chances for you to do just that!

During our Opportunity Fest on January 10, 2024, you’ll be able to learn more about both paid and volunteer positions that help us save lives every day. You’ll also be able to take a tour of the shelter and clinic every half hour to see what we do.

    • Looking for a career that makes a difference? Our SAFE Care Spay & Neuter Clinic offers low-cost spay and neuter care for cats and dogs, reducing the number of homeless animals that need our care. In 2022-23, they altered 7,283 cats and dogs that came from 41 of the 100 counties in North Carolina. If you’re a veterinary technician who wants to be on the front lines of community impact or you’re interested in what it takes to be a vet tech with our focus, you’ll have a chance to learn more and even apply to be a vet assistant with us!

    • Looking for volunteer opportunities? SAFE Haven volunteers are the only reason we can accomplish all that we do. We have opportunities for every skill level, time commitment, and interest, including our Cat Care Team which is currently looking for members. From the dirty work of cleaning cages to the time-intensive work of fostering, every second of a volunteer’s time means another life saved. You can see how you can fit into our team to start 2024 off by giving back!

SAFE Haven Opportunity Fest Volunteer & Career Fair
Wednesday, January 10, 2023
1-3 pm
at
SAFE Haven for Cats
8431 Garvey Drive, Raleigh, NC 27616-3267

Save the date! Click below to add this event to your calendar so you don’t miss out.

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Help SAFE Haven Say YES!

Help SAFE Haven Say YES!

It’s never what you want to hear – that a disease could endanger the cats in our care. But that’s what we faced earlier this year.

Panleukopenia, or “panleuk,” is a virus that is 90% fatal in unvaccinated or minimally vaccinated cats, especially very young kittens. During a disease outbreak this summer, nearly 25% of the 178 kittens that arrived at SAFE Haven for Cats tested positive for this deadly disease. That’s when our excellent medical staff and team sprang into action. The kittens that tested positive were whisked away to be treated with intensive supportive care. We took it a step further, not just to treat the disease, but reduce the risk for all the cats in our care.

“This isn’t a new disease, but how we tackled panleuk is new. With just a simple test at admission and intensive, pre-emptive treatments, we flipped the script on how our shelter approached this horrible virus. I’m so proud of our shelter care team,” said Dr. Tiffany Kutner, the Medical Director at SAFE Care Spay/Neuter Clinic.

This level of care and prevention took a lot – financial resources, staff time, medication, supplies, and more. Staff had to feed the most vulnerable and sickest kittens four or more times a day by syringe. Fluids had to be given to keep these little ones hydrated. Though we don’t like to put a price on our services, it costs at least $25 per day in supplies and labor per kitten to save their life.

Through this intensive care, we were able to SAVE over 40 kittens this summer who tested positive for panleuk – that means that we saved 90% of those cats. Without the care of the SAFE Care Team, these kittens would have had a much more difficult time. We have so much gratitude to the SAFE Care team for their dedication to these kittens.

Your donation today can help us mount lifesaving efforts like these in the future. Can you donate $25 or more to save one cat’s life?

As a BONUS, your donation will be MATCHED before December 31! That means even more LIFE-SAVING power with every dollar donated. All donations will be put to work saving cats’ lives today with outstanding veterinarian care from the SAFE Care Clinic, but also allow us to always say YES to doing whatever it takes to save cats’ lives.

“When we were in the thick of it, we had days where we were discouraged and exhausted because there was so much sickness, but when we saw we were saving 90% of the very ill kittens, we knew we were doing something really special.”

Cat Wursta

Lead Care Team Staff Member

The Cat Chronicle –  December 2023

The Cat Chronicle – December 2023

Make the End of the Year Meow-ry
Because of some generous supporters, we’re able to match donations up to $140,000 for all donations made by 12/31. Have you donated yet? If not, do it now because every dollar will go farther for the kitties and save lives! Here are other ways you can support us as we end 2023:

    • Become a Paw Pal, a monthly donor – you’ll get sneak peeks of what’s ahead for SAFE Haven with the new monthly Mewsletter.
    • Are you a master of the market? Donate a gift of stocks or through a Donor Advised Fund!
    • Your old car could be put to good use if you donate it to SAFE Haven!
    • Give your time to the cats by volunteering. We have opportunities available for everyone!

All They Want for Christmas is You!
Did someone ask Santa for a cat or kitten? No worries! You can purchase a gift certificate to cover the cost of adoption! Email shfcapps@safehavenforcats.org for details and to purchase a certificate so your loved one or friend can return in January to pick the perfect cat for them. It’s an easy way to give the gift of furry friendship this holiday season!

 

 

 


Pet Food Pantry Update
During last month’s drive, yet again you made a weighty difference. You donated 1781.04 pounds of food and 480 pounds of litter! Those supplies are already being distributed, but holidays are a critical time for the Pet Food Pantry. If you can spare donations for fellow pet lovers in our community, here’s our wish list and how you can donate year-round without even leaving the house!

 

 

90% Save Rate
SAFE Haven was recently recognized by the Best Friends Animal Society for our efforts to save as many cat lives as possible. In 2022, we maintained no-kill status, meaning we saved the lives of more than 90% of the cats that entered our shelter last year. Because of the hard work of our veterinary team and the care of our staff and volunteers, we continue to exceed this benchmark rate and are proud to be a part of the national efforts to make every shelter and community no-kill by 2025.

 

 

Giving Tuesday was Full Steam Ahead!
You tripled your impact during last month’s annual day of giving, donating more than $68,000. With our generous match, that means your donations are going even further to help meet the increased needs we face in our community. Whether you donated and/or shared our posts, thank you for supporting our work.

 

 

 

Holiday Season Hours
Because of the holiday season, please note that we’ll be closing early or closed on the following dates:

December 24: Closing at 3:30 pm
December 25: Closed
December 31: Closing at 3:30 pm
January 1: Closed

 

 



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