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.."
I fostered babies from ferals I found for years....I had 14 babies at once one time. Now, I just stick strictly to TNR.
Why the hell does that matter??? Good Lord...try to lose the bitterness towards people loving animals...it's very unhealthy.
Your response was civil, polite, informative, and coherent.
I’ll quote my earlier self here for completeness.
“Where does she stand on abortion, I wonder?”
How does that possibly equate to not loving animals or feeling bitterness toward people who do? Good grief, you need to lighten up.
You're not the only one, Gefn. I like animals more than people, with almost no exceptions.
Wow. There were a couple - just a couple - posters on this thread who only reinforce how much more pleasant the company of animals, rather than people. Bless the lady with her talent of saving innocent, helpless life.
A sign hangs in my kitchen: 'To our guests: My cats live here. You don't.'
One of my Siamese Rescues is still a 'nervous minerva' after ten years...he doesn't meow, he chirps. It was years before I ever heard him purr...now, he's making up for lost time.
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