Cat Rescue Volunteers Run Marathons To Raise Money

Team Kitten Rescue is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that was founded in 1997, and that has now grown into one of the most respected animal welfare groups in Los Angeles. Their volunteers placed more that 1,000 dogs and cats in new homes last year, bringing the total they’ve saved to 13,000 animals. Their volunteers do it all, from bottle feeding orphaned kittens, to checking high-kill shelters for animals who need to be saved, to taking the sick in their care for a vet visit.

These volunteers also run marathons to raise funds for Team Kitten Rescue . Their most recent was the 2014 ASICS LA Marathon, which was held March 9. Each volunteer runs on behalf of a particular cat or dog they’ve saved. A volunteer named Jesec ran for little Whirleygig, pictured above.

Whirlygig and his siblings, Koufax, Rutger and Trouble were rescued as babies from Baldwin Park Shelter by Team Kitten Rescue, located in Los Angeles. It was evident something was very wrong with his little legs. Whirlygig has a condition called forelimb tendon contracture, or bent legs. This means his tendons are very tight, so tight Whirlygig couldn’t straighten his front legs. He was also born with a bone missing from his left front leg.

Through an internet search, a way was found to splint the right leg. After several weeks, the right leg was good as new, and Whirlygig celebrated having use of one of his front legs by climbing, napping and beating up on his siblings. His other leg is still bent, but it doesn’t appear to cause him any pain. And it certainly doesn’t appear to have slowed this kitty down. He’s into everything.

At seven months old, Whirlygig is now looking for his forever home. He’s filled out a lot, and is now a giant ball of fluff. Here’s a three minute YouTube video to show his progress.

It’s tough doing all that Team Kitten Rescue accomplishes. Many volunteers have to juggle family and jobs while at the same time saving these little lives. Their goal was to raise $75,000 from the Los Angeles race. So far they’ve raised $63,628, or 84%. This page has a short video of those who ran for Team Kitten Rescue. Most of the participants made themselves up to portray cats, complete with face paint and cat ears. You can learn more of the individual team members here, and also how much has been raised by each member.

What a wonderful way for a rescue to help raise money for their cause. Most larger cities have similar events, so hopefully this idea will spark an interest to some of the rescue groups out there who visit us at PoC. I wanted to do this article because it shows the courage and determination of one little kitten named Whirlygig, who refused to succumb to physical limitations. It’s nice that one of his legs could be repaired, and even with the left front leg remaining bent, he can still climb a cat tree and beat up his siblings. All in good fun, of course.

What a precious little guy. I just had to share him. Anyone interested in adopting Whirlygig is asked to contact Team Kitten Rescue. You can see more of their fundraising events on their Facebook page.

Elisa