4 Paws 1 Heart

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4 Paws 1 Heart We are a 501c3 charitable organization which funds medical treatment for abandoned companion animals -- predominantly felines and canines.

We work with veterinarians and rescue groups with the ultimate goal of finding permanent homes for the homeless. 4 Paws 1 Heart's mission is to reduce the number of abandoned animals by funding medical treatment for abandoned, abused, and stray companion animals. This does not mean we are obligated to provide unlimited funding to any animal. The animals we assist usually come in through the an eme

rgency hospital, rescue groups who may request our assistance, and individual rescuers. Decisions are often fluid because. as it is with human life, you just never know. But, please rest assured that we are always keeping all of the many animals' welfare first.Anyone requesting medical funding from 4 Paws 1 Heart should know:

1) 4 Paws 1 Heart can never guarantee to pay the full medical bill until we know what we are dealing with. When we authorize to pay for an animal to go the vet it is either for very clear treatment - such as spay/neuter, vaccines, URI treatment, etc. In emergency situations or when there are injuries or unknown medical issues, the vet will always be asked to contact me.

2) Anyone requesting monetary assistance will be told the limit to which we will help. Therefore, if the rescuer feels they may need more funding, they can start to get backing ahead of time.

3) 4 Paws 1 Heart will always consider the animal first. But, anyone requesting our help must understand that it is our responsibility to maximize the number of animals we can help with the limited funds we have. This means that if the dollars needed far outweigh the probability of the animal living or living a good quality of life, we may not pay for the medical treatment. In all cases, it will be up to the rescuer to decide what will happen next. But understand that veterinarians are responsible to the animal and may strongly recommend an animal not leave the hospital.

4) All of the veterinarians we work with understand that 4 Paws 1 Heart is not a rescue and does NOT own the animal. Our only decision is what amount of money we are willing to pay for medical treatment (as explained earlier). Anyone taking an animal to the veterinary should be prepared to make decisions related to the animal's future and treatment. Keep in mind that there can be many people working in a veterinary hospital and not all may understand the policies. It is up to the rescuer to ask questions and make decisions.

5) Authorization for a veterinarian to treat an animal and bill 4 Paws 1 Heart will be made by e-mail (with a copy to the rescuer) or telephone. All payments are made directly to the veterinarian.

1/7/25 - Mocha was found with a "horrible cough and sniffles".  The rescuer's son immediately fell in love and we were a...
07/01/2025

1/7/25 - Mocha was found with a "horrible cough and sniffles". The rescuer's son immediately fell in love and we were asked if we could help. We did and authorized Mocha to be treated at one of our partner veterinary clinics, Five Mile Animal Hospital in Redford, MI. Once Mocha recovered from his upper respiratory infection, he was tested for fiv/felv, vaccinated, and neutered. Another orphan given a new lease on life with a loving family. - diana
https://4paws1heart.org/donations/
P.O. Box 84, St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080

1/7/25 - Blackie, Twinkles, and Speckles were rescued from behind a store in a strip mall; they had been living in a fie...
07/01/2025

1/7/25 - Blackie, Twinkles, and Speckles were rescued from behind a store in a strip mall; they had been living in a field near the strip mall. They are just about 6 months old and will be tested, vaccinated, and spayed/neutered at All About Animals Rescue in Flint. There is a fourth, Miss Catitude who was rescued a few days later and she will be getting 'the works' onn February 6 and will be looking for her furever home. - diana
https://4paws1heart.org/donations/
P.O. Box 84, St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080

1/6/25 - If you live in the Fraser, MI vicinity, come out and meet Gina, Vice President and Co-Founder, and I at the Mot...
06/01/2025

1/6/25 - If you live in the Fraser, MI vicinity, come out and meet Gina, Vice President and Co-Founder, and I at the Motor City Rockers hockey game on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 7:05 pm. We will be selling some logo t-shirts, a couple of hoodies, and some knitted caps. We will also have a donation jar just in case you have a few $ left over after the holidays. Hope to see you there.
- diana
https://4paws1heart.org/donations/
P.O. Box 84, St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080

1/3/25A fire station in Detroit has been putting food out for some strays and Baxter was one of them.  Approximately one...
03/01/2025

1/3/25
A fire station in Detroit has been putting food out for some strays and Baxter was one of them. Approximately one week ago he showed up to the station with a hole in his eye likely from trauma. One of the guys took Baxter to emergency but due to cost, Baxter couldn't get surgery. When they reached out to us we contacted one of our partner vets who was fortunately able to get Baxter in right away, and eye removal was done yesterday. He is recovering in this picture on fluids and pain meds. The firefighter is going to foster and hopefully keep Baxter inside from now on. He fell in love with this boy. Thank you to those who support our mission to help cats and dogs like Baxter get the second chance they deserve. Veterinary care is expensive and strays do not have an owner to provide medical funding or decisions for their quality of life, so we are blessed to be able to help in some way..
Gina
https://4paws1heart.org/donations/

1/2/25 - Happy 2025 to our many friends and supporters.  On December 19, 2024 we posted about Toast who had a serious ey...
02/01/2025

1/2/25 - Happy 2025 to our many friends and supporters. On December 19, 2024 we posted about Toast who had a serious eye injury and needed to have his eye removed. Unfortunately, because of the holidays and staff shortages, Toast couldn't get surgery as quickly as needed but was finally able to get into one of our great partner veterinary hospitals and was scheduled for eye removal on December 30. Yesterday I received the following from his amazing rescuer, Patra:

"12/30/24 - Hi Diana. Toast’s surgery was a success. She did great, no complications. We just got home and she is recovering now. She ate some food and is resting. She did really well! I go back for a follow-up appointment, to get the stitches remove, in 2 weeks. Thanks Diana. I’ll keep in touch with you, about her recovery.
Patra"

"1/1/25 - Hi Diana. Happy New Year! Toast is recovering very well. She is very energetic. She is so relieved to have her eye removed. She doesn’t seem to have any more pain. It’s like she did a complete 180, from being very tired, lethargic, and non-responsive at times, to now, playful and having so much energy. And surprisingly, she is keeping her Elizabethan Collar on, and not fighting it, nor is she picking and grabbing at her stitches. (She only has another week & a half to go). I bet she can’t wait to get the collar off. I think she was very happy to have gotten this surgery! Toast and I thank you very much Diana! - Patra"

A huge thank you to Patra, Dr. Blasses of Orion Animal Hospital, and the staff. - diana
https://4paws1heart.org/donations/
P.O. Box 84, St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080

1/2/25 - On Christmas Day we posted the story of Zorro and Peaches who were rescued in November with upper respiratory i...
02/01/2025

1/2/25 - On Christmas Day we posted the story of Zorro and Peaches who were rescued in November with upper respiratory infections. They were just 5-6 weeks old at the time. Now they have been treated, vaccinated, and will be spayed/neutered on January 16. Then, these very sweet babies will need their furever homes. If you are interested in adopting Zorro (black) or Peaches (orange) OR both, please contact Kelley at: [email protected] - diana
https://4paws1heart.org/donations/
P.O. Box 84, St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080

1/2/2025Precious update.  Several people have been following her story, so I wanted to post an update to let everyone kn...
02/01/2025

1/2/2025
Precious update. Several people have been following her story, so I wanted to post an update to let everyone know how she is doing. We had a hard time getting her into a cardiologist right away, but we were able to do the echocardiogram through a day-practice hospital. It wasn't something the doctor felt should wait in case she needed to be put on heart medication right away. The report basically showed that she has enlargment on the left side, and lower airway disease, which could be Asthma. They wanted a further workup on a blood pressure and thyroid check to rule out hypertension. We were able to do both of those things. As of right now, the doctor is recommending no heart medication and recheck her blood pressure in 2 months Gina https://4paws1heart.org/donations/

12/30/24 - Sherman had been TNR'd about a year ago by our friend, Melissa, who we've assisted with many of the dogs and ...
30/12/2024

12/30/24 - Sherman had been TNR'd about a year ago by our friend, Melissa, who we've assisted with many of the dogs and cats she has rescued. Melissa, hadn't seen him in awhile and then one day he showed up with a very damaged ear. Gina, our co-founder and licensed veterinary technician at Moore Veterinary was able to get Sherman into Moore's and Sherman was treated. This was in late October. Melissa checked in to wish us a Merry Christmas and report that Sherman is doing great. - diana
https://4paws1heart.org/donations/
P.O. Box 84, St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080

1/2/25 - Update:  Jack will be fostered by a rescuer whom 4p1h has helped with several rescues.  She already has a poten...
28/12/2024

1/2/25 - Update: Jack will be fostered by a rescuer whom 4p1h has helped with several rescues. She already has a potential adopter lined up. Jack will be neutered this week. A huge thanks to Denise for saving Jack and to Jessica who will be fostering him and getting him to his furever family. - diana

12/28/24 - Jack's sad story. On Christmas Day we we received the following e mail:

"I was referred to you by a friend. I have a homeless cat that I have been feeding daily, and have provided a heated cat house for it on my porch. The cat is very friendly and kinda chunky, so my first thoughts was that he belongs to someone or he has not been homeless for long. I took a few pictures of him and posted them on a lost pet’s page for my area on Facebook. Well, someone responded that it used to be her cat, but because her daughter was allergic to it, they gave it to a friend. The friend recently dumped the cat due to financial reasons. She added that the cat was a boy named Jack and he is not fixed. - Denise"

Well, after getting over my disgust as to how this poor cat was treated, I thanked Denise for her kindness and authorized Jack to be seen at one of our partner veterinary hospitals. Our prayer is that Jack will find a furever and never be treated like trash again.

When people get upset because of the number of stray cats in their neighborhood, they might want to look at their neighbors. It's bad enough to dump a pet but to dump an intact pet is beyond cruel and irresponsible. That intact animal will do what intact humans will do---procreate!! And therein lies a huge part of the problem. I know our supporters know. this and would never do this, so I ask you to share and educate. - diana
https://4paws1heart.org/donations/
P.O. Box 84, St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080

12/25/24 - The Board of 4 paws 1 heart wishes our many supporters, the rescuers, and the veterinary staffs a very Merry ...
25/12/2024

12/25/24 - The Board of 4 paws 1 heart wishes our many supporters, the rescuers, and the veterinary staffs a very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. It's been a blessing to be a part of a village which has done so much to make a difference in the lives of so many orphaned and abused animals. We can't thank you enough and wish you a day that is filled with much love, laughter, and furry kisses.

This is Zorro and Peaches -- siblings who were rescued in late November. Because of the village these 5-6-week old babies are safe and loved. Their eyes will never again be stuck closed and they will never have to search for food and shelter. - diana
https://4paws1heart.org/donations/
P.O. Box 84, St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080

12/23/24 - On December 18 I posted Lucky's story.  The little guy who wisely but painfully followed children to their ho...
23/12/2024

12/23/24 - On December 18 I posted Lucky's story. The little guy who wisely but painfully followed children to their home. The mom took Lucky to a clinic where it was determined that he would need an amputation. Lucky had his surgery with one of our partner veterinary clinics on December 18. I recently received an update on Lucky's surgery and. he is doing great and getting lots of love. Here's his post op photos. Much thanks to the wonderful family who saved Lucky and to our generous donors. - diana
https://4paws1heart.org/donations/
P.O. Box 84, St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080

20/12/2024

Send a message to learn more

12/1924 - More prayers but this time for Toast.  Here's her story as told by her rescuer:"I had been feeding an approxim...
19/12/2024

12/1924 - More prayers but this time for Toast. Here's her story as told by her rescuer:

"I had been feeding an approximately 2 year old, short haired gray, stray cat since August, 2023. The cat lives outside and has an outdoor cat shelter house. She's fed daily, and enjoys her freedom. She survived last winter, which was very harsh. But at the beginning of this past November, her eye was injured--- possibly by another cat, wildlife animal, or maybe tree branches. It started with Conjunctivitis, in both eyes. I took her in to an animal hospital in Ft. Gratiot , Michigan. The doctor diagnosed her with a Cornea Ulcer. The doctor prescribed antibiotic eyedrops, 1-2 drops, 4 times a day, for 5 days. She said most likely, “Toast” would need her eye enucleated, because the corneal scratch was so deep, it had developed into an ulcer. I continued to use Ofloxacin eyedrops for 2 more weeks, but her eye never got better. It actually turned into a Melting Cornea. That cornea has now ruptured and her eye is hanging out. So I took her to another vet, for a second opinion to see if something can be done without surgery. The vet said her right eye has to be enucleated. If I leave it, she will have a higher chance of catching an infection, if it scars up or bursts again. Toast’s life depends on this surgery. Thank you so much, for taking the time to read my letter. - Patra"

Although it was a 1 hour and 45 minute drive, Patra drove to Orion Animal Hospital where we authorized Toast to be seen by one of our partner doctors, Dr. Blasses. Toast's eye had scabbed over and a large 'chunk' of scab fell off of her eye. The doctor prescribed Gabapentin for pain and Augmentin (Amoxicillin/Potassium Clauvanate) for antibiotics, infection prevention, for 2 weeks, and a neck collar, until her surgery. The surgery is set for Monday, December 30. Before getting to the hospital, Toast suffered another orbital rupture. Toast's surgery date can't come soon enough!!

There are so many animals on our streets suffering like sweet Toast. Thank you to Patra, our amazing doctors who put the animals first and continue to work with 4 paws 1 heart, and to our generous supporters without whom we couldn't accomplish what we have. - diana
https://4paws1heart.org/donations/
P.O. Box 84, St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080

P.S. I chose to not post the more descriptive photo for concern that the post would be removed.

12/19/4 A lot of people have been following this story, so I would like to post a quick update.  It was recommended by o...
19/12/2024

12/19/4
A lot of people have been following this story, so I would like to post a quick update.
It was recommended by one of our doctors that Precious go to a cardiologist. Unfortunately, it's difficult to get in right away and it's also very costly, especially for our nonprofit organization.
We have already done quite a bit of diagnostics, but she is in need of a echo cardiogram.
After talking with the rescuer and calling several places, we have decided to schedule her echo on Monday.
This appointment will not be at a specialist, but it will be read by a team of professionals and allow us to get her going on any necessary medication sooner than later.
Please keep Precious in your prayers, and if you would like to make a donation towards her medical care, we would really appreciate the help.
I will post again once I know more. Gina https://4paws1heart.org/donations/

12/18/24 - Prayers for Lucky who will have amputation surgery tomorrow, December 19.Lucky very wisely but painfully foll...
18/12/2024

12/18/24 - Prayers for Lucky who will have amputation surgery tomorrow, December 19.

Lucky very wisely but painfully followed some young children home and they fell in love with him. The mom contacted us to say that she had thought Lucky had a broken leg so she took him to a vet where it was confirmed that he would need his leg amputated. Unfortunately, the family couldn't afford such an unplanned expense and contacted us. Fortunately, because of the generosity of our supporters, we were able to say yes.

Because of our supporters, some very sweet and caring children will have a beautiful Christmas with their new little buddy who they named Lucky.

Please don't forget that there is a $1,000 Match Campaign in progress through December 25. Your Christmas gift will make a difference in the lives of many fur orphans on our streets.
https://4paws1heart.org/donations/
P.O. Box 84, St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080

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