Latest news with #HelenWoodwardAnimalCenter
Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Kittens Fight for Their Lives After Being Found Zip Tied to Shopping Cart
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Two newborn kittens have been left fighting for their lives after being found zip-tied together beneath a shopping cart at a shopping center in Santa Fe, California. The kittens, tentatively named Frodo and Sam, were brought to the Helen Woodward Animal Center late on May 20, along with two siblings who tragically succumbed to their injuries. The orange tabbies, still bearing their umbilical cords and crawling with fleas, were estimated by medical staff to be less than five days old. One of the kittens is recovering well, but the other sustained serious injuries to its rear left leg from the zip tie. The kittens were rushed to safety by a regional manager from Blue Buffalo, a longtime supporter of the Center. Their survival, staff say, is nothing short of miraculous. "That was our biggest concern at first," said Kendall Schulz, director of adoptions at the Center. "We were worried they hadn't eaten in hours, and wouldn't eat. But the moment we tried bottle feeding, they took to it right away." The two kittens that survived, now being cared for by Helen Woodward Animal Center. The two kittens that survived, now being cared for by Helen Woodward Animal Center. Helen Woodward Animal Center Kittens should stay with their mother until they are at least 8 weeks old, with many experts recommending waiting until they are 10-12 weeks old to separate them. When separated too early, kittens can miss out on essential nutrients from their mother's milk, suffer from growth problems and suffer malnutrition. There are also potential long-term effects on kittens separated too early, with studies showing that kittens taken from their mother too early may be increasingly vocal in stressful situations or at higher risk of developing compulsive behaviors or aggression. Recent data from Shelter Animals Count shows that 1,944 animals were surrendered as of April 25, 2025, an increase of around 11 percent compared to the same time in 2024. Currently, shelters are grappling with what is often known as "kitten season" which typically runs between March and October. Longer daylight hours trigger hormonal changes in unspayed female cats, leading to multiple heat cycles and increased pregnancies. As a result, shelters see an influx of kittens around these times. Kittens Frodo and Sam are now in foster care and are beginning their long road to recovery. "Finding fosters qualified to bottle feed is super important, because these little guys need to be fed every two hours," Schulz added. "Fortunately, we have an extensive network of qualified fosters who can drop everything and help out." The Center encourages anyone with information about the case—or those interested in supporting the care of animals like Frodo and Sam—to reach out directly to them. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Litter of kittens found zip-tied to shopping cart
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Four kittens were found zip-tied to the bottom of a shopping cart at a Riverside County shopping center Tuesday evening. The kittens were found by one of the Helen Woodward Animal Center's partners, who knew to call the shelter. 'When they came in, they still had their umbilical cords attached,' said Austin Hale from the Helen Woodward Animal Center. Hale had been there the moment the kittens arrived for emergency care, describing it as a heavy experience that is hard to put into words. 'Kittens are such pure, little innocent creatures and our medical staff determined that they were probably three days old at most,' Hale said. 'Your first thought is, 'Who could do this?' Hale says only two of the kittens survived, one of whom has a leg injury that may force veterinary staff to amputate. The other was uninjured. 'We were all really concerned because the two — the other two [that passed] — we put two and two together and realized they hadn't eaten in a very long time,' Hale explained. 'Something that is important about newborn kittens is that they have to eat every two hours.' He said relief came when the two surviving kittens went to the bathroom and were able to take to the bottle immediately. 'They were spunky little guys. They just refused to give up,' Hale said. Both kittens are now recovering with foster parents. This is just the latest animal abuse case the animal center has fielded. Hale says this year, they seen a spike in animal abuse cases. 'If I had to guess, I would say we probably have seen as many animal abuse cases now than we've seen in the entirety of 2024,' Hale said. Back in February, a litter of pugs was rescued from a dumpster. Those pugs have all since been adopted. That's the hope for the two surviving kittens who do not have names yet. Though Hale is guessing they may be named after 'Lord of the Rings' characters, Frodo and Sam. Helen Woodward is hopeful track down footage to find whoever zip-tied the kittens to the shopping cart and hold them accountable. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
12-03-2025
- General
- Associated Press
‘Make Space For LA!' Adoption Event Helps Pets Impacted by Los Angeles Area Wildfires
Blue Buffalo to Cover Adoption Fees Rancho Santa Fe, California--(Newsfile Corp. - March 12, 2025) - As the wide-reaching impact of wildfire destruction continues to be felt in the Los Angeles area, animal welfare organizations and the pets in their care face many challenges. The January 2025 fires left a giant hole in the city's ability to save the many lives of pets dependent on its infrastructure. Image 1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: [ This image cannot be displayed. Please visit the source: ] The January 2025 Los Angeles County fires left a giant hole in the city's ability to save the many lives of pets dependent on its infrastructure. Cannot view this image? Visit: In an effort to positively impact Los Angeles-area pets in need, starting Friday, March 14 and extending through National Puppy Day on Sunday, March 23, Blue Buffalo will cover adoption fees for all pets adopted as part of Helen Woodward Animal Center's Make Space for LA! adoption event. The fires that erupted across Los Angeles resulted in the destruction of thousands of structures, including thousands of homes where people lost everything they owned, including their pets. Lost and injured animals by the hundreds (labeled 'community animals') were taken in by area shelters with hopes of reuniting these pets with their families, but circumstances continue to be difficult. Even with owners found, many families are still struggling to secure a place to bring their pet home to. 'The heartbreak that most people don't realize is that with the kennels full of community pets there is simply no room for the regularly scheduled influx of pets that arrive at these shelters each week,' said Helen Woodward Animal Center Adoption Services Director Kendall Schulz. 'SPCA LA, like Helen Woodward Animal Center, pulls animals from high-kill facilities. If they don't have capacity available, pets' lives may be lost.' Helen Woodward Animal Center and Blue Buffalo have been working directly with SPCA LA and Pasadena Humane since the fires began. The Center traveled to the area, via Center Rescue Vehicle, approximately 15 times, providing supplies, veterinary assistance and pet food from Blue Buffalo. Blue Buffalo is donating to an Emergency Pet Pantry organized by Pasadena Humane to support ongoing recovery efforts and is also providing food and supplies to SPCA LA for the upcoming Kitten Season, which runs April through October. As weeks have passed, however, SPCA LA's most recent and sincerest requests have been for the transfer of pets who would normally be next-in-line to enter their facilities but, due to lack of space, are at risk for euthanasia. Helen Woodward Animal Center has been working closely with rescue groups who regularly send pets to SPCA LA and is taking steps, like hosting Make Space for LA! to help address this urgent need. 'Blue Buffalo is a wonderful friend to the Helen Woodward Animal Center and is dedicated to the health and wellbeing of all pets,' said Helen Woodward Animal Center's President and CEO Mike Arms. 'We have been so grateful for their philanthropy since 2012, providing pet food for the Center's pets, promoting and supporting our global campaigns Home 4 the Holidays and Remember Me Thursday - to bring attention to pets in need of homes, and for their active support of shelter dogs and cats with their annual coast-to-coast food distribution during the holiday season. When the fires broke out in L.A., they immediately contacted us to ask how they could help.' 'We are transferring as many orphan pets as we can from L.A. and surrounding shelters to clear as much space as possible,' said Helen Woodward Animal Center Adoption Services Director Schulz. 'The fact that Blue Buffalo is going to gift adopters with sponsored adoption fees means that we can get more pets into loving homes. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to save more lives.' 'This is an incredibly generous gift that Blue Buffalo is providing to adopters to open up kennel space and allow us to rescue more orphan pets from high-kill locations, saving more lives,' said Arms. 'It's extremely important that the message is not that we are giving these precious lives away for free. We will still have the same rigorous screening and interview process to ensure that these pets are being placed with caring families.' Helen Woodward Animal Center encourages anyone looking to bring a pet into their home to consider rescue first. Between March 14 and March 23, Helen Woodward Animal Center and Blue Buffalo welcome potential pet parents to help Make Space for LA! with adoption fees sponsored by Blue Buffalo. Those who adopt will receive a starter bag of free pet food, along with other Blue Buffalo treats and gifts. Adopters will be responsible for the $36 microchip fee for their pets. For those who cannot adopt, the Center encourages families to consider fostering. For more information, please contact Helen Woodward Animal Center Adoptions Department at: 858-756-4117 ext. 313, visit or stop by at 6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe. PHOTOS: (This grants media permission to utilize photos without restriction – Credit: Helen Woodward Animal Center.) About Helen Woodward Animal Center Helen Woodward Animal Center is a private, non-profit organization where 'people help animals and animals help people.' Founded in 1972 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., the Center provides services for more than 90,000 people and more than 10,000 animals annually through adoptions, educational and therapeutic programs both onsite and throughout the community. Helen Woodward Animal Center is also the creator of the International Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive, the International Remember Me Thursday® campaign and The Business of Saving Lives Workshops, teaching the business of saving lives to animal welfare leaders from around the world. For more information, go to: About Blue Buffalo Blue Buffalo, the country's most loved and trusted natural pet food, started with a promise made to a lovable Airedale named Blue who struggled with cancer, the #1 disease-related killer of dogs and cats. His family, the Bishops, wanted to feed him the best food possible, so they searched for food with high-quality ingredients, but decided to create something even better - natural pet food for dogs and cats with nutritious ingredients, real meat first, and some of the highest standards in the industry. Since Day 1, BLUE's team of veterinarians and animal nutritionists have carefully selected high-quality, natural ingredients and upheld its True BLUE Promise to dog and cat pet parents - real meat as the first ingredient with NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, NO corn, wheat or soy, and NO artificial flavors or preservatives. The result is a portfolio of high-quality, natural food and treats that both dogs and cats love. This simple idea: 'Love them like family. Feed them like family.' lives on today in every Blue Buffalo recipe. Visit to learn more.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Make Space For LA!' Adoption Event Helps Pets Impacted by Los Angeles Area Wildfires
Blue Buffalo to Cover Adoption Fees Rancho Santa Fe, California--(Newsfile Corp. - March 12, 2025) - As the wide-reaching impact of wildfire destruction continues to be felt in the Los Angeles area, animal welfare organizations and the pets in their care face many challenges. The January 2025 fires left a giant hole in the city's ability to save the many lives of pets dependent on its infrastructure. Image 1To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: The January 2025 Los Angeles County fires left a giant hole in the city's ability to save the many lives of pets dependent on its view this image? Visit: In an effort to positively impact Los Angeles-area pets in need, starting Friday, March 14 and extending through National Puppy Day on Sunday, March 23, Blue Buffalo will cover adoption fees for all pets adopted as part of Helen Woodward Animal Center's Make Space for LA! adoption event. The fires that erupted across Los Angeles resulted in the destruction of thousands of structures, including thousands of homes where people lost everything they owned, including their pets. Lost and injured animals by the hundreds (labeled "community animals") were taken in by area shelters with hopes of reuniting these pets with their families, but circumstances continue to be difficult. Even with owners found, many families are still struggling to secure a place to bring their pet home to. "The heartbreak that most people don't realize is that with the kennels full of community pets there is simply no room for the regularly scheduled influx of pets that arrive at these shelters each week," said Helen Woodward Animal Center Adoption Services Director Kendall Schulz. "SPCA LA, like Helen Woodward Animal Center, pulls animals from high-kill facilities. If they don't have capacity available, pets' lives may be lost." Helen Woodward Animal Center and Blue Buffalo have been working directly with SPCA LA and Pasadena Humane since the fires began. The Center traveled to the area, via Center Rescue Vehicle, approximately 15 times, providing supplies, veterinary assistance and pet food from Blue Buffalo. Blue Buffalo is donating to an Emergency Pet Pantry organized by Pasadena Humane to support ongoing recovery efforts and is also providing food and supplies to SPCA LA for the upcoming Kitten Season, which runs April through October. As weeks have passed, however, SPCA LA's most recent and sincerest requests have been for the transfer of pets who would normally be next-in-line to enter their facilities but, due to lack of space, are at risk for euthanasia. Helen Woodward Animal Center has been working closely with rescue groups who regularly send pets to SPCA LA and is taking steps, like hosting Make Space for LA! to help address this urgent need. "Blue Buffalo is a wonderful friend to the Helen Woodward Animal Center and is dedicated to the health and wellbeing of all pets," said Helen Woodward Animal Center's President and CEO Mike Arms. "We have been so grateful for their philanthropy since 2012, providing pet food for the Center's pets, promoting and supporting our global campaigns Home 4 the Holidays and Remember Me Thursday - to bring attention to pets in need of homes, and for their active support of shelter dogs and cats with their annual coast-to-coast food distribution during the holiday season. When the fires broke out in L.A., they immediately contacted us to ask how they could help." "We are transferring as many orphan pets as we can from L.A. and surrounding shelters to clear as much space as possible," said Helen Woodward Animal Center Adoption Services Director Schulz. "The fact that Blue Buffalo is going to gift adopters with sponsored adoption fees means that we can get more pets into loving homes. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to save more lives." "This is an incredibly generous gift that Blue Buffalo is providing to adopters to open up kennel space and allow us to rescue more orphan pets from high-kill locations, saving more lives," said Arms. "It's extremely important that the message is not that we are giving these precious lives away for free. We will still have the same rigorous screening and interview process to ensure that these pets are being placed with caring families." Helen Woodward Animal Center encourages anyone looking to bring a pet into their home to consider rescue first. Between March 14 and March 23, Helen Woodward Animal Center and Blue Buffalo welcome potential pet parents to help Make Space for LA! with adoption fees sponsored by Blue Buffalo. Those who adopt will receive a starter bag of free pet food, along with other Blue Buffalo treats and gifts. Adopters will be responsible for the $36 microchip fee for their pets. For those who cannot adopt, the Center encourages families to consider fostering. For more information, please contact Helen Woodward Animal Center Adoptions Department at: 858-756-4117 ext. 313, visit or stop by at 6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe. PHOTOS: grants media permission to utilize photos without restriction – Credit: Helen Woodward Animal Center.) **** About Helen Woodward Animal Center Helen Woodward Animal Center is a private, non-profit organization where "people help animals and animals help people." Founded in 1972 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., the Center provides services for more than 90,000 people and more than 10,000 animals annually through adoptions, educational and therapeutic programs both onsite and throughout the community. Helen Woodward Animal Center is also the creator of the International Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive, the International Remember Me Thursday® campaign and The Business of Saving Lives Workshops, teaching the business of saving lives to animal welfare leaders from around the world. For more information, go to: About Blue Buffalo Blue Buffalo, the country's most loved and trusted natural pet food, started with a promise made to a lovable Airedale named Blue who struggled with cancer, the #1 disease-related killer of dogs and cats. His family, the Bishops, wanted to feed him the best food possible, so they searched for food with high-quality ingredients, but decided to create something even better - natural pet food for dogs and cats with nutritious ingredients, real meat first, and some of the highest standards in the industry. Since Day 1, BLUE's team of veterinarians and animal nutritionists have carefully selected high-quality, natural ingredients and upheld its True BLUE Promise to dog and cat pet parents - real meat as the first ingredient with NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, NO corn, wheat or soy, and NO artificial flavors or preservatives. The result is a portfolio of high-quality, natural food and treats that both dogs and cats love. This simple idea: "Love them like family. Feed them like family." lives on today in every Blue Buffalo recipe. Visit to learn more. Jessica Gercke(619)977-0999jessicag@ To view the source version of this press release, please visit
