Latest news with #KittyYanko
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
PCAPS hosts successful kitten shower to support seasonal surge in adoptions
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Kitten season brought an adorable crowd to the Peoria Humane Society as animal lovers gathered for a special Kitten Shower event aimed at supporting the influx of kittens arriving at Peoria County Animal Protection Services. Held from 12 to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 7, the event featured kittens available for adoption, cat-themed games, refreshments, and plenty of opportunities for attendees to cuddle with playful, adoptable kittens. In addition to adoptions, the Humane Society collected much-needed donations to help care for the thousands of cats PCAPS receives each year. Supporters brought items from the organization's wish list, including canned kitten food, litter, formula, nursing bottles, and gift cards to pet supply stores. The community also contributed through an online Amazon wish list. 'We've had a really good response so far,' said Kitty Yanko, director of the Peoria Humane Society. 'We've had lots of donations coming in. It's so exciting to see people walking through that door with Kitty and cat donations, and we've had a few adoptions. And so I think it's been a real big success.' The Kitten Shower also highlighted the challenges local shelters are facing during a particularly heavy kitten season. 'It has been a rough kitten season,' Yanko added. 'I mean, we're seeing a real increase in cats coming in. And the key is for people to spay and neuter their pets and, you know, certainly not let them run loose and reproduce. So we're hoping with some education and just, you know, with more adoptions that we can kind of put a stop to that and just find good homes for cats and all animals that come to shelters.' The event served as both a celebration and a call to action — raising awareness of the rising number of homeless kittens during the warmer months and encouraging the community to adopt, donate, and support local animal welfare efforts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Peoria Humane Society seeks homes for 200+ kittens in need
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — With kitten season in full swing, the Peoria Humane Society is bursting at the seams. Most stray cats aren't spayed or neutered, leading to a surge in litters every spring. Kitty Yanko, executive director of Peoria Humane Society, said they have more than 200 kittens looking for their furr-ever homes. 'It's no fault of the mom cats when they have a litter that they can't take care of, and they're outside without a home. It's really difficult for the kittens and the cats to have a life like that. But the reality is that the numbers are just increasing,' she said. If you're interested in adopting a new furry friend or two, all you have to do is fill out an application. They will vet you to make sure its a good fit. 'All the adoptions are spayed or neutered, microchipped and have the first set of shots before they leave the shelter to go into their new home,' she said. If you can't adopt, Yanko said to consider fostering for a few weeks. 'So if anyone would be interested in opening their home to these little babies here and just providing extra care to kind of get them to the point where they can get adopted and get strong, that would be wonderful,' she said. And if you can't foster, consider donating supplies like food, litter and toys from their Amazon wishlist to help them keep up with the influx of cats and kittens. 'Cats are great companions. They love to be around people and they're just they offer so much love. And so we're really asking the community to help us this kitten season and open your home to fostering, donate supplies or maybe adopt because you end up with something that will be a friend for life,' said Yanko. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Community gathers for annual Wine and Whiskers fundraiser
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The Peoria Humane Society hosted its eleventh Wine and Whiskers event on Friday, its springtime cat-themed fundraiser. At the event, there were cats available for adoption, wine tasting, and silent auctions. Guests even had the opportunity to purchase kitten art, or art made from the painted footprints of cats. New this year is Scoop for Sparkles, a glittered box where people dig for prizes. Proceeds from the event help several initiatives, including school educational programs, emergency treatment and rehab of sheltered animals. 'It's important for people to understand that small nonprofits need support from the community,' Peoria Humane Society Director Kitty Yanko said. 'So when we have an event like Wine and Whiskers, it's our way of saying, you know, we need you. We look forward to your support and thank you.' WMBD's Molly Naslund emceed and Shabnam Danesh was in attendance as well. The society's dog-themed fundraiser Bark in the Park is held in the fall. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Peoria Humane Society to host 11th annual Wine and Whiskers
PEORIA HEIGHTS, Ill. (WMBD) — Imagine getting to taste wine while sharing a space with cute kittens. Peoria Humane Society's upcoming 11th annual Wine and Whiskers delivers just that, along with raffles, art and food. Director Kitty Yanko explains the importance animals have in central Illinois. 'People come out to support animals in our community,' Yanko said. 'They know that the money is well spent because they're helping not only animals get a better life, but we're also helping sometimes people keep their pets.' Included in the festivities are adoptable kittens, and while they can't be brought home that night, they can still find their forever home at the event. One featured activity in the event is the Glitter Box, a box of kitty litter mixed with glitter with surprises inside, but not the surprises you may think. 'There are hidden treasures in there, including some diamond earrings from Jones Brothers, Jewelers, and also some precious gems,' Yanko said. 'So some of the values are up to $1,000. If you're a cat person and you're used to scooping, this will be something a little bit more fun than the regular scooping.' The event takes place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Trailside Event Center. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
