Pawsitively Precious Pets

 Riverside Kitten Rescue (RKR) is not a shelter. It is a 100% foster based and volunteer based non profit 501c3. It is a stepping stone for wild-born kittens, primarily that have had no mother or are able to be weaned from feral cats. Feral-born kittens have a 25 percent chance of survival unless helped and RKR is dedicated to giving those babies a chance. 

RKR makes sure they receive the veterinary care they need to get healthy. The kittens are vaccinated, dewormed, flea treated, ear mite free, and fixed, before adopting them locally or transporting them to other non-profit rescues. Adopters are thoroughly vetted by Terry, our wonderful Application Coordinator to ensure the purr-fect placement for each fosters situation. The key ingredient they fell is most important that they provide is LOVE. Socializing kittens every day at their home and at monthly vendor events like, Botany Tropicals in Hinton WV, helps these wild-born kittens socialize with many different people and become the most loving adoptable pets.

Riverside Kitten Rescue is funded by Krystle and Jeff. Together they facilitate this enormous and expensive commitment. They finance it in part with vendor events, supply drives, and frequent yard sales in Hilldale. Krystle says, “We are very lucky to have a local resident let us use their old garage building to store donations we collect and have yard sales once a month when there is good weather.” The rescue also has an Amazon Wishlist through their Facebook Page and TikTok where followers from all over the US have been able to send them kitten milk, food, and other supplies.

The more the community learns of Riverside Kitten Rescue, the more messages of feral colonies and abandoned kittens in the community are pouring in daily! The lack of resources, lack of a shelter, feline programs, education, and available vet care in a low-income area is detrimental to the rising cat crisis in their county and surrounding areas. 

"We can't take in every case that messages us. We have a waitlist right now. It's so heart breaking to have to say no. I feel like we say no more than yes to helping people. We are just a hand full of people taking on a huge community problem that really needs a community solution. We will keep trying to find ways to help as many as we can. So far this year, we have helped more rescues than we thought we could afford thanks to the generosity of friends, family, volunteers, and some cat-loving community members. Not to mention gaining some wonderful partnerships with local Humane Societies and non-profit rescues, in state and out. Some days are so hard with certain cases that come in. We see a very scary dark side to humanity where cats are treated, but we also have seen the positive side of our community that embraces us, and supports us without hesitation. I know as a community we can make a difference together!"          -Krystle Adkins