This is Peggy.  And, if we’re honest, Peggy has resting “witch” face. It’s not her fault, of course. But, many adopters overlook cats with inner beauty, like Peggy, in favor of the outwardly pretty kitties.

To add insult to injury, Peggy only has three legs. Actually, that’s not as bad as it sounds as many tripods get around pretty well. But, she will still need a forever family who is patient with her mobility issues.

When we rescued Peggy last May (yes, she’s been waiting that long to be adopted), she was hungry and in pain. Her leg and paw were broken and had to be amputated. Plus, she had just given birth a week before and was desperately trying to care for her kittens. Sadly, only two survived but they were immediately placed into foster care and adopted into a wonderful home.

After all she’s been through, Peggy definitely deserves a second chance at happiness. Unfortunately, she faces a lot of competition for attention. So, for special cats like Peggy, having a sponsor–aka Guardian Angel–can help improve the odds that they will find their purr-fect forever home.

How to get your wings

Making a direct and meaningful difference in the life of an animal in need will give you a warm and fuzzy feeling. And, it’s super easy to do. To become a Guardian Angel for Peggy or any of the animals in our care, please visit our donation page. In the dedication section, let us know which cat(s) you would like to sponsor. Through a one-time donation, you can cover the $150 adoption fee in part or full. If you are donating through a mobile device, the dedication field may not appear. In that case, simply send an email to anne@humaneloudoun.org and let us know which animal(s) you are sponsoring. Thank you!

By Madeleine Devost

Hops and Malt are two special needs cats with a rough past. Before they were rescued by the Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC), they experienced a horror story—living in a windowless cement office building for three years with up to thirteen other cats. When they came to us, Hops and Malt were terrified of people and it became very clear that they would need a loving home with a patient owner.

Lucky for them, Hops and Malt found Jennifer, a wonderful HSLC volunteer and foster.

Although they began to slowly come out of their shell for Jennifer, Hops and Malt were uncomfortable around other people. This made adoption events very difficult for them. Like many cats, they did not show well at these events which reduced their chances of being adopted. Their severe dust allergies posed another challenge. Jennifer had to take extra special care of the pair as they endured ongoing allergy shots.

Despite their issues, Jennifer fell in love with Hops and Malt and all of their unique quirks. Throughout the foster experience, she realized that Hops and Malt would have a hard time finding a home that they would feel comfortable in as much as they did in hers.  So after roughly 18 months, she decided to adopt them.  When a foster parent decides to keep their foster, it is called a “foster fail.”  Jennifer has foster failed three times, all with black cats for which she has a very soft spot.

Cynthia O’Connell decided to sponsor Hops and Malt’s adoption fees through our Guardian Angel program after finding them on our website. Hops and Malt are the second and third cats that Cynthia has helped out through this program. Her living arrangement won’t allow for more pets so she finds the program to be an incredibly rewarding way to make sure that HSLC’s amazing animals find great homes. She’s looking forward to doing it again soon.

The HSLC is overjoyed that Hops and Malt have found such a loving home and two new ‘siblings,’ Janxi and Charlie. Special thanks to Jennifer and Cynthia for giving these special cats their happy ending.

Recently, the beautiful Midnight had a bit of a scare. She was rushed to the vet because she was lethargic and not eating. It was thought that she might have developed diabetes.

Fortunately, Midnight was cleared of diabetes and is doing much better now. But, to ensure she stays stable, we are hoping to find Midnight her own foster or forever home. Currently, she shares a shed with other cats.  The shed is climate-controlled and specially adapted to ensure it’s a welcoming space for some of our foster cats. But, Midnight just isn’t a fan of other cats. However, she LOVES humans. And, she offers the best of both worlds: she’s a snuggly lap cat one moment and an independent, playful cat the next.

To foster Midnight, please complete an application here.

To adopt her, please complete an application here.

Ten-year old Midnight came to HSLC in August 2018 after her owners surrendered her for going outside the litter box. The leaky bladder was caused by a stone that has since been removed thus solving the problem.

If fostering or adopting isn’t an option for you right now, please consider making a donation to help with Midnight’s ongoing care. She takes medication—like a boss—for a thyroid condition twice daily and is on a special diet to prevent any more urinary issues. Also, sponsoring or co-sponsoring her $150 adoption fee will increase the odds that she will finally get her happily ever after.

If you have any questions about helping Midnight, please contact us at helpanimals@humaneloudoun.org

Thank you for making a difference!

As a foster-based, all-volunteer organization, HSLC relies on the community to provide homeless animals the second chances they deserve. Here are five great ways to help our furry friends this holiday season.

Become a Guardian Angel – Maybe you’ve fallen in love with one of our animals but can’t adopt. Or perhaps you see a cat that has been on our site for a while that isn’t being adopted.  Sponsoring an animal in full or part will help us help them and will give you a warm, fuzzy feeling.

Host a Pet Food Drive – The Loudoun Pet Pantry is in constant need of cat and dog food.  Hosting a pet food drive is a great family, school or community project for the holidays and we have many ideas to get you started.  Be sure to tell us about your efforts so we can give you the recognition you deserve and inspire others by your example.

Set Up a Facebook Fundraiser – Involve your friends and family in our life-saving work by setting up a Facebook Fundraiser for Giving “Mewsday” (12/3) or your birthday. Please type “The Humane Society of Loudoun County” when selecting your charity.

Give through a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) – More and more supporters are using DAFs to manage their charitable giving.  They combine the most favorable tax benefits with the flexibility to support your favorite causes, like HSLC. Visit our website to learn more.  HSLC also accepts stock gifts and charitable IRA rollover distributions.

Donate Your Vehicle – Got a vehicle you want to unload before the new year? Consider donating it to HSLC. We offer free pick-up for donated vehicles of all types—cars, trucks, boats, and even ATVs.  Start the process here.

Thank you for making a life-changing difference for at-risk animals across the area.

Margo is a snuggly, chatty kitty who has overcome many obstacles in her 12 years.  She came to HSLC almost by accident. We were rescuing a different cat from an overcrowded shelter in Maryland when they mentioned her to us. She had been surrendered to the shelter by her owner due to allergies.  HSLC rescued Margo just one day before she was to be euthanized.

Nearly blind because of high blood pressure, Margo was shutting down in the shelter environment due to stress.  But since being placed in a foster home she has made an amazing comeback.  Thanks to her blood pressure medicine, she is seeing a little better now. Her appetite has returned and she is moving around much better. She’s even giving head bonks!

Margo does not let her limited vision hold her back. She finds her way to her food, water, litter box, onto the sofa, and even up and down stairs without incident.  Once she feels comfortable she’s very affectionate. She is friendly with other animals and loves to be brushed while sitting on her foster’s lap. Her extraordinary personality is still blooming and her forever home is out there waiting.

 

Become a Guardian Angel

Cats like Margo present HSLC with an extra challenge. They require more than the usual vet checkups and vaccine updates.  You can help us help these extraordinary animals through our Guardian Angel Program.  Sponsoring an animal will help us help them and will give you a warm feeling.

You can help by sponsoring part or all of the medical expenses for one of our animals.

• You can sponsor some or all of these expenses for a specific animal or sponsor a certain number of vaccinations, tests or surgeries for several animals. (Foster or Feral)
• You can sponsor the expenses for one kitten, or a litter of kittens.
• You can also sponsor the adoption fee for a specific animal or several of our adoptable animals.

To become a Guardian Angel for  any of the animals in our care, please visit our donation page. In the dedication section, let us know how or who you would like to sponsor. You can make a one-time donation or make your gift recurring (monthly or quarterly) which would give us the flexibility to help whichever animal needs it the most. Recurring donations provide steady support for the animal but can be stopped at any time just by contacting us. If you have any questions about the Guardian Angels program, please send an email to helpanimals@humaneloudoun.org.