At Homeward Pet, we believe every life is worth saving—even when the road to recovery is long, complicated, and expensive. This GiveBIG, your generosity makes a meaningful difference for pets like Marlin, who need more than just shelter.

Marlin joined Homeward Pet in December 2024.  During his intake exam, he rubbed against the vet’s hands and purred contentedly. At six months old, he was drastically thin and malnourished. Our hope was that a few weeks of a healthy diet and a steady stream of love would be all it took to prepare this kitten for his forever life.

While at the shelter, he let the staff know that he was uncomfortable, and we were challenged to keep him eating. His sweet nature had volunteers flocking to his kennel to try unsuccessfully to find treats or a food combination that would entice him. He always leaned in for the love but away from the food with that wrinkle to his nose that only cats will make. You know the one.

As his time with us stretched into the holidays, Marlin’s weight stayed critically low, and his spirit showed weakness between the purrs. A staff member offered to take him home to see if that would help. His time in foster included sleeping on his foster dad’s chest, and requesting cheek rubs from his foster mom. However, he didn’t show the verve one would expect from a kitten and struggled to explore his playful side.

Marlin came to visit our clinic often and was tested for any disease that might be causing his symptoms.  Our staff consulted with multiple outside vets and researched conditions that might be less common. Marlin bravely leaned into the tech’s fingers for scritches while blood was drawn and curled into a volunteer’s waiting arms while his prognosis was discussed.

Marlin spent months in foster care.  In February, it seemed like the combination of meds and supplements prescribed had finally gifted our gentle boy with a reprieve.  He started to play; he jumped for the first time after a wand toy, and spent calculated time figuring out how to escape his foster room.

He was brought back to the shelter in hopes that we were close to being able to list him for adoption.  Volunteers welcomed him home with cheers and open arms. Despite his playful nature and hopes for his healing, he started to show pain in his mouth, which culminated in the removal of five of his teeth. Unfortunately, the upward trajectory of his health was not to be and his mouth has continued to become more swollen and more painful.  He struggled again to eat. His treasured face scritches started to cause him to flinch.

After thoughtful tests, he has been diagnosed with stomatitis, which is a severe inflammation of the mouth that can affect up to 4% of cats. It is a painful condition where the immune system overreacts to the bacteria in dental plaque, leading to inflammation and ulceration. Most often, the only cure is to remove the source of the plaque – the teeth. Yes, all of his teeth. Thankfully, Homeward Pet has had several litters of kittens where this was the diagnosis, and has a staged plan in place to ensure that the best decisions are made for the long term health of cats with this horrible condition.

Poor Marlin is now only ten months old but has spent his entire life battling mysterious ailments. Despite the pain he’s feeling, he continues to be a bright spot in our day, every day, giving us reasons to laugh and celebrate his silly personality. He still greets every volunteer with a purr and gentle taps with his paw. He patiently allows our clinic staff to poke and prod, confident that they have his best interests at heart. Not once has he growled, swatted, or been cranky about his care.

Marlin’s story reminds us why our work—and your support—matters so much. He’s still fighting, and so are we. When a pet arrives sick, injured, or in distress, they don’t know what’s coming next—but together we can make sure what comes next is healing, compassion, and hope.

Your GiveBIG gift isn’t just a donation. It’s a lifeline for pets like Marlin, ensuring that we never have to say “no” to an animal in pain because of cost or the time it takes to find a cure.

Your gift will be put to immediate use to treat, heal, and comfort more than 1,500 pets’ that come through our doors this year, including Marlin’s continued care. Thank you for being a part of our mission, and for giving animals like Marlin the care they deserve.

There’s still time to have your gift go TWICE as far this GiveBIG! Thanks to a generous matching grant, all donations will be matched dollar for dollar until midnight.

Give now. Give hope. GiveBIG.

In 2018, Kaia arrived at Homeward Pet Adoption Center, and it didn’t take long before she found a loving home. However, when a new baby joined the family, Kaia struggled to adjust. Having a young child in the house proved stressful for Kaia. She became withdrawn, and her reactivity grew as her stress did.

Her loving owners reached out to Homeward Pet. For five years, Homeward Pet Adoption Support provided behavior training, guidance, and support to try to help her thrive with her growing family.

Despite everyone’s best efforts, and although her family loved her deeply, they ultimately made the difficult decision to return her to Homeward Pet. They wanted the best for this sweet girl and hoped Kaia could find a quieter, more predictable home, better suited to her sensitive needs.

Upon Kaia’s return to the shelter, our team worked patiently to match her with a foster home that could gift her with an environment to help her decompress from years of stress. We introduced her to her potential foster family multiple times to ensure a smooth transition.

Unfortunately, the first night in her foster home, Kaia suffered what can only be described as a panic attack. She was so terrified of her new surroundings she tried to escape by throwing herself at walls and out of windows. At midnight, our team received a call from her foster family, who rushed to bring her safely back to the shelter.

After allowing time to settle back into life in the shelter, Kaia underwent a sedated physical exam and extensive testing. The results revealed she was hypothyroid – a condition that can heighten anxiety. With new medication and a treatment plan in place, Kaia miraculously began to seem less stressed.

To ensure she could feel safe and happy in a home again, our team went the extra mile. After a few months of care in the shelter, staff members were able to secure an AirBNB for an overnight to see how Kaia would do in a home environment.

Kaia had a blast – she curled up on the couch with staff, cozied in, and took a peaceful nap. In fact, she felt so at home, she even stole a piece of pizza when she woke from her nap!

Because of your incredible generosity, Homeward Pet was able to provide Kaia with the specialized veterinary and behavioral support she desperately needed to treat and ease her anxiety. Today, Kaia is ready to find her forever family.

Your GiveBIG gift isn’t just a donation. It’s a lifeline for pets like Kaia and so many others still waiting for a second chance.

Take advantage of our match pool and DOUBLE your gift, today! Thank you for being a part of our mission, and for giving animals like Kaia the care they deserve.

Give now. Give hope. GiveBIG.

as written by Jim Keller, Operations Director

Monkey arrived at Homeward Pet with 5 other kittens in early October of last year. A sweet, little 3-month-old tuxedo, Monkey had the most perfect markings you’ve ever seen. And the sweetest temperament to match.

Monkey received his complete health exam on the day he we took him in, and everything looked great. He was cleared for adoption and made available the same day. And, no surprise, he was adopted just a few days later.

An unfortunate surprise came after just 2 months in his new home.

Monkey suffered a seizure that landed him at the emergency vet. Then, other symptoms appeared. He became a little wobbly on his feet, he was low-energy, he appeared sickly. He was not the bold, athletic, happy kitten they’d adopted. A follow-up visit to his regular vet brought the bad news: Monkey had contracted Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FiP).

A few years ago, this diagnosis would have been a death sentence. There was no treatment for FiP. However, in the last few years, a treatment has been developed. Last year, a pharmacy in New Jersey began compounding the medication. The problem: the treatment is very expensive, and Monkey’s family was not able to afford it. They’d already fallen in love with little Monkey and could commit to palliative care, but not to the treatment.

Wanting to leave no stone unturned, they contacted Homeward Pet. With our Adopter Support and Pet Retention programs working together, a life-saving plan was put into place. Monkey would be surrendered to Homeward Pet for the initial treatment. He’d be placed in the home of an experienced foster family (who’d already had success treating a cat for FiP), and Homeward Pet would take full responsibility for the cost of care, including medication and retesting.

And, once Monkey was on the road to recovery, he’d be returned to the adopting family that loved him so dearly.

Treating FiP requires twice-daily medication for 12 weeks! By the end of week 1, Monkey was already showing signs of improvement. Less wobbly. More active. By week 3, he was running the hallway with the resident cats (FiP is not contagious). By week 5, he owned the place – spending his days playing and sleeping in the company of 4 young cats and a Pug.

At week 6, a recheck of his blood work showed that his health had improved immensely. We were able to gift his adopter with the call they’d been waiting for – Monkey could return home to finish his treatment. Our staff was there to witness the happy reunion between an adopter and the kitten he considered his soul mate.

Homeward Pet is proud to be more than just a shelter. Every pet that comes through our doors receives compassionate care and a second chance at a happy, healthy life. But we don’t stop there. We stand by our adopters, providing resources and support after adoption to help keep pets and families together. From life-saving medical treatments to foster care and pet retention programs, we go the extra mile to ensure no pet is left behind.

These sorts of interventions are not free. They cost. And sometimes they cost a lot! We cannot help these animals without you.

Please make a donation today to help us say yes to the requests for help that come in every single day.

A Note from Susan Trabucchi, Interim Executive Director

Since I arrived in late January, I have received a warm welcome from members of the board, staff, volunteers, donors, community leaders, and countless others who care deeply about Homeward Pet. As a long-time lover of animals, whose household has been dominated by several remarkable dogs, I am grateful for the trust you have placed in me to help guide the organization through a critical moment of leadership transition.

This kind of transition can feel a bit disorienting, so let me assure you that first and foremost, I am here to ensure that our core programs and operations continue to run smoothly. I am also here to help us take a collective step back – a metaphorical deep breath – to consider our strengths, identify opportunities for improvement and growth, and prepare the organization to recruit its next leader and launch an exciting new chapter.

Now in our 35th year, we have made a remarkable difference in the lives of so many animals – and the humans who get to care for them. Every day that I am here, I learn more and more about the distinct and critical services Homeward Pet provides, not just to our local community but also to the larger region.

As I dive deeper into our organization and work, it’s also clear that we have struggled for several years now to meet our annual budget – despite a lean operation. Where we can continue to find efficiencies and savings, we will do so. What we really need, however, is to increase revenue from individual donors, foundations, corporations, collaborations and partnerships. If you have supported us in the past, thank you. If you can continue to support us, thank you in advance. And if you have friends, family, colleagues, and others who might be interested in our work, please let us know how we can help make an introduction!

I look forward to meeting you in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, if you have thoughts, suggestions, or ideas as we chart a path forward, please do not hesitate to reach out to me by email or call the shelter and ask for me.

Thank you again for all that you do for Homeward Pet.

With gratitude,

Susan Trabucchi
Interim Executive Director
Homeward Pet Adoption Center

P.S. For a glimpse of some of the fantastic work that our staff and volunteers continue to do, please take a look at our most recent Cuddle Chronicle, quarterly newsletter.