Special needs kittens in San Francisco will be without a place to go this fall, thanks to recent rent hikes.
The Saving Grace kitten refuge on Cayuga Ave has acted as a last resort for many kittens which would be euthanized in a traditional shelter. Run by Amber Holly, Saving Grace takes in kittens who are missing legs and eyes, and who have other physical issues that tend to make them more difficult to adopt out. Pressed for space, many shelters would euthanize these kittens, but Holly gives them a second chance.
Holly started the refuge when she worked as a veterinary technician and realized how many at-risk kittens came through the vet hospital where she worked. Soon, other shelters in the area learned of Saving Grace and would call Holly when a kitten was facing euthanasia. Usually, Holly told them to bring the kitten over, and the kitten was given a second chance at life.
Over the past six years, Saving Grace has been home to over 700 kittens. Special needs, high-risk, you name it – basically, these kittens need special care that your ordinary shelter can’t provide. They also need to find a special adoptive home willing to continue that care. Without Saving Grace, these kittens wouldn’t have had much of a chance at all.
Unfortunately, a rent hike could change all of that. Holly is facing a $3,500 monthly rate for her current facility, which also houses herself, her husband, her young son, and her dog. With Saving Grace being forced out of the San Francisco area, the shelters will lose a valuable resource, and at-risk kittens will be more at-risk than ever before.
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This is so sad, I hope something or someone cares enough to help all involved,