Four Paws Animal Foundation

08/24/2024

Just a brief update on "Echo" before his initial senior exam on Friday. He has settled in nicely and started to eat regular can food rather than baby food and welcomes brief brushing. He does have significant muscle loss in his rear legs which makes it difficult for him to stand for too long of a time but we will have that checked out at the exam as well as a senior blood panel, urinalysis, f***l and viral testing and whatever else he may need. I cant say enough about what a gentle soul he is and we thank you for your donations which help us give him the care he needs.

08/21/2024

"ECHO" our oh so very sweet senior rescue is now safe at Four Paws and our thanks to Donna Lazzara volunteer NITT driver for transporting him to us. He has several medical issues listed on his CACC medical notes which we will address at our initial exam and update as soon as we know more. He is resting and did eat a little.

08/20/2024

I have requested a firm hold for "Echo" and not sure if he is still available but waiting for confirmation. He is a small guy and animal control has him listed as an older cat or possibly a senior seeing he has only 1 tooth left. He also has what appears to be a URI, heart murmur, very thin with loose stool and not eating. Since his ear is tipped he may have been a stray TNR.

08/17/2024

🚨 Double Your Impact This Weekend! 🚨

We need your help, Four Paws Family! 🐾 Today through Sunday, August 18th, you have a special opportunity to make a BIG difference for our rescue efforts.

My Giving Circle is holding a Double Votes Weekend, which means every vote and donation will count TWICE towards our chance to win a share of $65,000 in grants! 💰 We need your support to reach the Top 10 and secure vital funding for our rescues.

Here’s how you can help:

👉Vote for Us: Every vote counts as 2 votes!
👉Make a Donation: For every $1 you donate, we’ll receive 2 votes.
👉Sign Up for Regular Giving: Your first month’s donation will be multiplied by 10! A $10 monthly donation = 100 votes!

This is a HUGE opportunity for us, but we only have one weekend to make it happen! 🌟 Please vote, donate, and spread the word to help us reach our goal and secure funds to continue our rescue mission.

🗳️ Vote and Donate Here: https://mygivingcircle.org/four-paws-animal-foundation/free
📅 When: Friday, August 16th - Sunday, August 18th, 2024

Let’s come together and turbo-boost our votes for the cats! Thank you for your unwavering support. 🐱

Each year MyGivingCircle gives $1,500,000 in grants and donations

08/16/2024

"VICKY" Update: Her cysts have healed and now I know she must feel so much better. Such a sweet senior lady!!

08/15/2024

🚨 Double Your Impact This Weekend! 🚨

We need your help, Four Paws Family! 🐾 This weekend, from Friday, August 16th, to Sunday, August 18th, you have a special opportunity to make a BIG difference for our rescue efforts.

My Giving Circle is holding a Double Votes Weekend, which means every vote and donation will count TWICE towards our chance to win a share of $65,000 in grants! 💰 We need your support to reach the Top 10 and secure vital funding for our rescues.

Here’s how you can help:

👉Vote for Us: Every vote counts as 2 votes!
👉Make a Donation: For every $1 you donate, we’ll receive 2 votes.
👉Sign Up for Regular Giving: Your first month’s donation will be multiplied by 10! A $10 monthly donation = 100 votes!

This is a HUGE opportunity for us, but we only have one weekend to make it happen! 🌟 Please vote, donate, and spread the word to help us reach our goal and secure funds to continue our rescue mission.

🗳️ Vote and Donate Here: https://mygivingcircle.org/four-paws-animal-foundation/free
📅 When: Friday, August 16th - Sunday, August 18th, 2024

Let’s come together and turbo-boost our votes for the cats! Thank you for your unwavering support. 🐱

Each year MyGivingCircle gives $1,500,000 in grants and donations

08/11/2024

"Buddy" is healing nicely and is now out of isolation and being introduced to a few of our rescues to monitor his reaction to them and he seems perfectly happy and relaxed. He will soon join Petunia and Sage in their foster home. Our thanks to everyone for your concern for his future well-being. He is a total love!!!!

08/09/2024

UPDATE "BUDDY" - I could not have received a better birthday gift then the good results I received tonight from the doctor of 'BUDDY's" blood work. F***l negative, Kidney , thyroid and liver values normal, no UTI, and most important viral test negative. So happy for this great ginger boy!!!!

08/09/2024

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟

Four Paws Animal Foundation now has an easy and fee-free way for you to support our rescue efforts! Through My Giving Circle, your donations go directly to helping our furry friends, and we even have the chance to win grant money through their contests!

Prefer PayPal? No worries, that option is still available too.

Ready to make a difference? Donate through My Giving Circle here: https://mygivingcircle.org/four-paws-animal-foundation/donate/free

or visit our website at https://fourpawsaf.org for more ways to contribute.

Thank you for your ongoing support—we couldn't do this without you! 🐾💖

An all volunteer organization founded in 1997 and licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture as a shelter with a 501(c)3 status.

08/08/2024

I cant begin to tell everyone what a sweet and gentle our big ginger boy "BUDDY" is! He had his first general over-all rescue exam this morning at our vet and he was a big hit with the doctor and entire staff. His eye surgery is healing nicely and doctor removed the stitches. We are awaiting results of his blood work, urinalysis and viral test and some flea dirt was found but no live fleas and Revolution was applied. Warm compresses for a few days will be applied to his eyes. Recent donations and pledges that were honored have helped us give "Buddy" a better life which he so deserves and we can't thank everyone enough. We are looking forward to seeing positive results from his blood work.

08/02/2024

Happy to report that CACC confirmed our hold on 'BUDDY" and thank NITT volunteer driver Adele Damer-Pikora for transporting him to "Four Paws" this morning. We have scheduled a full exam which includes his bilateral entropion on Thursday, August 8 and will update results as we know them. It looks like "Buddy" has been through a lot and we are very happy we can help him to have a better life.

08/01/2024

Poor "BUDDY" is a stray housed at animal control who is suffering from bilateral entropion. We are not sure how severe it is but he is listed as urgent needing medical attention for his eyes. We have requested a firm hold and are waiting for confirmation of same and hope he is still available for rescue only.

07/23/2024

We are so very sorry to report that we had to give "JACK" our oh so sweet and feisty senior of 16 years a peaceful sleep today and he is now crossing over the Rainbow Bridge to enjoy grassy meadows. He recently developed a severe URI and at his age and prior medical history he had a difficult time fighting it even with all the medical attention we were able to give him. We loved you "Jack" and will not forget your sweet face and the joy you brought to our Four Paws family of rescues.

07/19/2024

Starting with our latest medical concerns we are happy to share some positive results. "VICKY'S" biopsy results for all 3 cysts came back negative for cancer and is doing very well. "HAZEL's" spay surgery went well even though doctor detected a slight upper
respiratory symptom and was given an antibiotic injection for same. She had a restful night, ate a little and has been sleeping most of this morning. "JACK" who we rescued from animal control a few years back when he was abandoned in an apartment is now 16 years old and up until now has been healthy but we noticed some discharge from his nose as well as his eyes and his appetite was off. After his vet exam yesterday he was diagnosed with a URI and lost 2lbs but with medications and fluids he was feeling a little better this morning. We look forward to continuing improvements for all of these sweet seniors in our care.

07/18/2024

"HAZEL" Update: I can't begin to tell everyone how relieved I am to report that our decision to have her spayed not knowing if in fact she already was proved to be the right decision as the doctor called me just a little while ago stating she was in fact intact and is doing well after surgery. She'll be coming home this evening and we will keep a close watch on her recovery. Thank you all for your concern for her well-being.

07/17/2024

Well we certainly have had our challenges since we rescued Sage, Petunia, Vicky and Hazel from animal control within the last few months. But we are happy to report that Sage, Petunia and now Vicky with her cysts removals are doing just fine. Our focus is now on Hazel who seems uncomfortable exhibiting strong symptoms of being in season. Her one line medical report from CACC did not indicate that she was spayed only that she needed a dental. Our intake blood work showed signs of heart disease but the cost of a cardiology work up is extremely over our budget. We took her in this morning to get an opinion from our vet and we don't have too many options to address the problem with the exception of a surgical spay. Our emotions are running high with our decision to go ahead with the spay procedure and ask for your continued prayers for Hazel.

07/15/2024

"VICKI" is home now starting her recouperation. The 2 huge cysts and smaller one were removed and one will be sent to the lab for biopsy. Todays procedure resulted in a few other problems and we didn't quite expect the bill ($1592.00) to be that high so we are truly grateful for any and all donations sent our way to help with the cost. Her stool sample showed 2 types of parasites and her one tooth was badly infected and was extracted. We have all types of medications to help with her healing and have a recheck in 2 weeks. Vicki is taking all this like a real trooper and we look forward to her complete recovery.

07/13/2024

"VICKY" Update: We were so lucky to get a call from the clinic stating they had a cancellation for this morning thus getting Vicky in earlier than her August 1st appointment. Doctor read the ER report and gave her an exam especially concentrating on her cysts. We requested repeat blood work panel done today and will get results back from the lab on Monday and if all looks good she is scheduled for surgical removal of the cysts and dental on Monday. The cysts will be sent to the lab for evaluation of any cancer present. She is eating and gained weight and is comfortable. Thank you for your prayers and donations to help with her medical care.

07/11/2024

"Hazel" Update: We are back from her recheck and her ear infection has cleared up and she has gained some weight. She did really well with the exam and ear cleaning but now doctor has detected a slight heart murmur. Doctor and I talked about a dental without having her heart disease evaluation and doctor as well as myself feel it would be dangerous to put her under anesthesia for the dental without knowing the extent of her heart disease. For now she is getting a lot of love and care and introduce her to some of our senior rescues slowly so as not to give her any unnecessary stress. Thank you for your donations to help with her care now and in the future as we appreciate it so much. She is one sweet lady and beautiful as well!!!

07/09/2024

With love in our hearts we would like to share these 2 very sweet seniors Sage and Petunia rescued a few weeks ago enjoying lunch time together in their foster home and we know they will continue the good life in their remaining golden years in safety and comfort and we will continue to provide any medical attention they may require.

07/07/2024

"VICKY" Update: So glad we took her to Saint Charles Emergency Veterinary Care last night. A full exam plus senior blood panel showed a severe anemia which doctor explained could be a parasite in her blood or cancer. The cysts have not refilled with fluid but the doctor did find another small one. What few teeth she has left are in bad shape but her blood work showed kidneys, liver, etc look normal for a 13 year old or possibly older. Doctor suggested the cysts be surgically removed at some time and have them sent to the lab for further evaluation hopefully ruling out cancer. We have medications to give her and gave her fluids at the ER while waitiing for our August 1st apt with our vet and asked to be put on a waiting list to be called in case there is a cancel to get her in sooner. In the meantime we'll make her comfortable and keep a close eye on her with updates to follow when we know more. Thank you for your concern for this poor soul found outside as a stray but was micro-chipped with no one claiming her.

07/05/2024

"Vicky" is now safe at Four Paws and many thanks to Adele Damer Pikora for doing an over and above transport so we can get her the care she needs which from her CACC medical records are serious. These cysts are huge and were drained by the medical team at the shelter but need more immediate attention and since I am unable to get a vet apt until August 1 we will be taking her to the ER tomorrow for evaluation. Surgery removal may be necessary if they have filled up again. We were unaware of her medical situation as she was not considered urgent and no information was stated on her CACC thread but no doubt even knowing her situation we still would have requested a hold knowing she was a senior of 13 years. We'll do all we can for her and need your prayers once again. Thank you!

07/05/2024

Our hold request for "Vicky" has been confirmed by CACC and we are hoping that Northern Illinois Transport Team (as many times in the past) can help us with transport to Four Paws.

07/04/2024

"Vicky" is a 13 year old senior housed at animal control that was abandoned and we have just requested a firm hold to bring Vicky into the Four Paws family of rescues. We are awaiting confirmation from CACC where there are so, so, so many Chicago cats and dogs awaiting adoption or foster families to save their lives.

06/30/2024

I think "Hazel" may have been a little upset with me when I posted the last photo of her with redeye blocking her beautiful eyes so I was able to get another pose to show them off and of course we had to give beautiful "Petunia" equal time. We love to show off our seniors!!

06/28/2024

"HAZEL" Update: Her blood work came back and most everything looks good but it does show slight anemia and underlying heart disease. Doctor advised a full cardiology work up to determine the cause but sad to say our financial status cannot cover the procedure along with a full dental extraction. Its not surprising that donations have been down due to the rocky economic conditions effected by everyone. We will however do the best we can to make her and our other senior rescues comfortable by providing any medications they require along with any necessary vet exams. We will continue to care for them as long as they are with us and we thank all of you for your prayers and concern of our fur family. "Hazel" has another recheck exam in 2 weeks and we will report the results hopefully showing some improvement.

06/28/2024

Three more weeks for "Petunia's" blood work recheck but she is looking good and gained 1lb since we increased her thyroid medication. She and "Dino" are sharing some time out together!!

06/24/2024

Just want to pass on some good news re "Hazel". She has eaten a full jar of baby food which is a good sign she is confortable and hopefully not in too much pain. But now I also notice it looks like something may be going on with her left eye lid and we will address that along with her other medical issues at her senior exam.

06/24/2024

"HAZEL" is now safe at "Four Paws" and we want to thank NITT volunteer driver Adele Dahmer Pekora for transporting her to us quickly. It is so apparent from seeing her here that she needs a lot of love and medical attention. I was able to get an appointment with our vet for this Saturday but I will keep calling to see if I can get her in sooner due to a possible cancellation. She needs your prayers.

06/24/2024

It touches our hearts so much when we see the senior rescues we pull from animal control begin their golden years in the safety and comfort of their foster home as is so evident in this photo sent by "SAGE's" foster mom. No doubt "Sage" loves helping his foster dad while on the computer.