Donate Any Amount You Would Like By Clicking On The Gold Button
Trials & Tribulation of Adoptions
In November 2009, we were dealt a major setback: a Sarasota County Code Enforcement officer showed up at the door to inform us that we were in violation of a code forbidding home-based businesses in our area. We adopted 300 kitties from the Haven until we were shut down.
Our adoptions rates have suffered because of evil hearts.
Throughout the years, it has been a long, hard road in finding the kitties "Fur-Ever" homes. We have been doing all that we can do in finding homes for the adoptable kitties under our care, as you shall read.
Times Were Good.
Before the ban, we had volunteers, and Kitty Lovers could come to the haven three times a week during our Open House, and adopt.
In the Spring of 2007, Puffy Paws Kitty Haven started its adoption program. Since then, we have found over 350 kitties "Fur-Ever" homes!
Before Fall of 2009, times were good. We had over 350 adoptions in a very short amount of time by hosting an Open House three times a week at the Haven, inviting perfect strangers into their home so the adoptable kitties may find a “Fur - Ever” home with qualified applicants.
Rick was making a great name for Puffy Paws and raising funds in the community, while at the same time, Rick could not believe the high euthanasia rate of adoptable pets, corruption, and the misappropriations of funds that were supposed to go to the animals, but instead went into high administrative costs and huge salaries by the other animal organizations in the area.
All protected by a good old boy network.
Rick spoke out for the voiceless animals that could not. With hard facts in hand, all backed up by government documents, Rick contacted the local newspaper, government agencies, wrote letters to the editors that were denied, yet when Rick aided in bringing the news of the alleged corruption to a Fort Myers TV station, payback was inevitable.
Click on the news story on the right to read the full story, and to understand why payback was in the cards.
Rick received a phone call 10 days before Code Enforcement came out, that the good old boy network was looking into calling Code Enforcement to shut the Haven down.
Not caring if the cats lived or died.
One phone call to Code shut the Haven down. So now, folks can not adopt straight from the Haven.
But that has never stopped us from trying to find the adoptable cats fur-ever homes.
Per Code - You can not run a business from a residential home - NO FOOT TRAFFIC.
Kitties Up For Adoption
Since 2009, Puffy Paws is the first rescue in the area that features adoptable and special needs kitties LIVE on the Internet.
"Hanging With The Kitties "
Every Sunday
Showtime: 10:00pm - 10:30 pm on FB Live.
Starring those lovable kooky adoptable & Special Needs Kitties at Englewood, Florida’s “World’s Greatest Cathouse”, Puffy Paws Kitty Haven.
Hosted by Rick “The Catman” Kingston.
Join Rick & The Kitties every Sunday on Facebook Live.
Check out the Archive Shows on the kitties Facebook Page.
Please call Rick at 941 623 -8904 to set up a play date with the adoptable kitty of your dreams you've seen in the live shows.
All play dates will be held at the new store.
( Details Coming Soon )
360 & COUNTING
In the Spring of 2007, Puffy Paws Kitty Haven started its adoption program. Since then, we have found over 360 kitties "Fur-Ever" homes!
Adoption Policies
Puffy Paws Kitty Haven has made a commitment to ensure that the kitties and kittens we place will be in their new home for life. Therefore, we ask applicants to complete an application.
Puffy Paws only adopts locally because there is a mandatory pre-inspection and post-inspection of the adopter's home.
Each application must meet the approval of Puffy Paws Kitty Haven before adoption for many reasons. Some of our concerns include the fact that certain pets should not be placed in a certain situation, and/or other issues.
Their will be no declawing, or letting a Puffy Paws kitty be an outside cat.
The adoption fee is $75 per kitty.
Each adopted kitty or kitten will have been:
Spayed / Neutered
Dewormed
Fecal tested
Rabies Vaccination
Distemper/Rhino (4 in 1)
Feline Leukemia / FIV Combo Testing
Preventive Flea & Tick Ear Mite Treatment
Improvise , Adapt and Overcome: Finding The Kitties Fur-Ever Home.
Throughout The Years
One phone call to Code shut the Haven down, so now folks can not adopt straight from the Haven. But that has never stopped us from trying to find the adoptable cats fur-ever homes.
After the ban, we had to work harder.
We then had the adoptable kitties at PetSmart in Port Charlotte.
But that did not work because our kitties were not used to cages, and we discontinued the program. Also, the cost was high with driving to the next town over.
Then, we put on adoption events at Mike's Pet Store (which is now out of business) on Saturdays, and the other rescue groups in the area, with the strong support of the local media, purposely scheduled adoption events the same day as ours, which meant ours were a bust.
After that, we even bought an RV for a mobile adoptions, but that did not work out. It was a lemon....
Watch the SNN6 News Story by clicking on the video box on the right.
We even reached out to local churches to hold adoption events after services, and not one church responded.
We even wrote a letter to the editor asking for the community's help back in 2011,
but no one called.
Dear Editor
My wife and I are only two people running Englewood, Florida's "World's Greatest Cathouse." Puffy Paws Kitty Haven is a 501(c) (3) non-profit, no-kill cat hospice & rescue specializing in providing quality and loving care to special needs cats; we have 100 adoptable kitties that need homes.
Our current help consists of a few volunteers and the court ordered Community Service Personnel. These people are folks who got into trouble and are trying to pay their debts to society.
We have been begging this community for help for years with adoptions , PR, and fund-raising events.
We finally have a handful of volunteers who put on a monthly adoption event but that is not enough; we need more people.
While the Humane Society and other rescue groups in the area enjoy paid employees and a host of volunteers, we do not.
We do not get paid; 100% of all donation goes to the kitties and the operating expenses. Are books are open to the public.
Last year I raised $144,000 by myself, just by asking for help and $125,000 of that came from kitty lovers from around the world donating through Paypal.
The very sad reality is that the only ones who suffered were the community cats that we could not help because we could not take them in and find homes.
You can change all of this by volunteering your time.
For more information call 941-623-8904 or go to our website.
Rick Kingston
Co-Founder
Puffy Paws Kitty Haven
NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE THE LETTER TO THE EDITOR, AND THESE DAYS,
WE ARE STILL IN NEED OF HELP:
IF YOU ARE LOCAL, PLEASE CONSIDER
We are in dire need of a volunteer coordinator to recruit volunteers for, and to oversee the following:
Adoption Events (AE)
Volunteers staff our adoption events, assisting with set-up, break-down, and during event activities such as socializing and sitting with the kitties, and providing information regarding our adoption procedures and our organization. AE volunteers assist potential adopters with the adoption process. AE volunteers are needed as events are scheduled.
PR Information Tables
Volunteers (PRIT) are needed to table at various events in the Tri-County area throughout the year. Volunteers are responsible for set up, break down, and presentation of informational materials during the events. Volunteers should feel comfortable presenting information and fielding inquiries about Puffy Paws. PRIT volunteers are needed as events are scheduled.
Fund-raising
Volunteers are always needed to assist in increasing our visibility and to contribute to our fund-raising efforts. Volunteers are needed to cold-call potential donor sources, as well as assist our Fund-raising team in planning events. If you have experience in event planning or fundraising, please join our team!
In closing:
Throughout the years, with no help from the community in which we live in, we have been doing all that we can to find homes for the adoptable kitties under our care.
We will never give up trying to find homes for the adoptable kitties.
Only Through The Power of Your Love Can These
200 Special Need Kitties See The Light of Tomorrow.
Donate Any Amount You Would Like By Clicking On The Gold Button
Donate Any Amount You Would Like By Clicking On The Gold Button