This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Sure, they're cute, but these kittens also are the most at-risk animals in Utah shelters.
To give them a better chance of survival — and adoption — Best Friends Animal Society's kitten nursery is stepping in. The facility — which cares for orphaned kittens and mother cats with nursing kittens until they're 2 months old and weigh 2 pounds — already has nearly 150 kittens receiving care and another 120 in foster homes.
The goal is to save 1,500 kittens this year, but it will take some work.
"Approximately 79 percent of the pets killed in Utah shelters are cats, and kittens are an especially at-risk group because of their susceptibility to illness and the resources required to raise them," said Arlyn Bradshaw, executive director for Best Friends Animal Society—Utah. "For Utah to reach our no-kill goal by 2019, we must focus on saving more kittens and cats. Our kitten nursery is a proven way to do this, because we can provide round-the-clock care for these fragile lives and help them reach an adoptable weight and age."
To maintain its 24/7 operations, the society is seeking 300 volunteers and 100 foster homes. To learn how you can help, visit http://utah.bestfriends.org.