Posted on 04/30/2014 2:39:15 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Toni Sestak is used to a crowded house.
One of nine children growing up in Southern California, Toni and her husband went on to raise five children of their own in their San Francisco home.
Perhaps it is her comfort among numbers then, that prompted Toni, once her children were grown, to begin filling up her house again.
This time, with kittens.
Toni's Kitty Rescue, founded by Toni Sestak, is responsible for fostering close to 10,000 kittens over the past decade.
Toni is the face in front of, and the energy behind, Toni's Kitty Rescue. Started 10 years ago, Toni's group has fostered close to 10,000 kittens under the age of eight weeks, saving many of them from certain euthanasia.
Shelters without a foster program like hers, Toni says, just cannot care for animals so young. "Most shelters don't take neo-nates, so they are killed."
Toni says her career in kitty-saving began twenty years ago while volunteering at the San Francisco SPCA. "I was actually a nice, calm volunteer," Toni recalls. "I just sat at my desk and talked to normal people."
Toni, herself, is fostering ekeveb kittens in her San Francisco home. None weigh more than 2 pounds. But then, Toni says, her one cat died and she was asked to foster a mother cat and her litter of kittens. She clearly liked it and fostered more and more kittens.
"I only took orphan kittens, babies home," Toni says. "I just started asking other volunteers and we kept building the programs. Last year Toni's Kitty Rescue fostered more than 700 kittens.
During kitten season (late spring through early fall) Toni can be found almost every day at San Francisco Animal Care and Control. Volunteers bring a steady stream of kittens, mostly born to feral mothers, into the shelter.
Almost ever day during kitten season (late spring to early fall) Toni can be found at San Francisco's Animal Care and Control, taking in stray, mostly feral, kittens. Toni gives the kittens much-needed baths and shots, then works with her team of volunteers to give each one a foster home until they are old enough to be adopted.
At the moment, Toni is fostering close to a dozen kittens in her Upper Haight home.
To an observer, it looks like a lot of work not to get paid for. Toni says nothing is that hard when you are surrounded by so much cuteness. "I just love it.."
Kitteh list ping
Good for her.
;-)
That is a beautiful person.
For crying out loud, spay the da** females. This country is going to hell in a hand basket and she is saving thousands of stupid kittens, enough already, too many cats and dogs. Animals do not belong in the house, they are let out to do their business, the Lord knows what bugs, etc. they pick up in their fur and drag it into the house. Most people sleep With these germ and poop carriers, how disgusting!
We take showers before we go to bed, clean sheets, blankets, etc. and we do not have to worry about the side effects of animals in our home.
Lilly:
Who put you in charge again?
Dear Lord, please don’t ever let this person own a pet-—Amen.
the trouble with kittens is that
they grow up to be cats.
Ogden nash
It is [to me] a shame she could not used her time to save an equal number of unborn or partially born babies.
classic
So people should only be able to spend their time on activities that you deem worthy?
Wow.
Boy, somebody sure licked the red off your candy.
I am presuming that perhaps your medication change has not taken effect yet
A real beauty... I apologize for any unkind posts I may have made to you or about Penn State.
That is one beautiful cat-————and I think she knows it.
:-)
.
Hah...I knew she was pretty, didn't know she had that kind of effect though! That said, I'd like to win those arguments on my own just the same.
Funny things about Lilly: She's fully grown but only about 7 lbs. - sort of a forever kitten. She still has a lot of skittish tendencies even after 7 years. She doesn't trust anyone but me, and no cat sitter has ever laid eyes on her. She (for some reason) has to jump over any threshold (room to room, room to patio, etc.) in the house. This isn't an option and I've never seen her not do it. A lot of times, it takes a full minute of thought on her part as well. She takes her time and is cautious about doing anything. Getting her to go out on the patio is a 1/2 hour process.
She's a joy and anyone that is looking for a good cat should definitely check out siamese rescue's website.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.