If you’ve encountered a cat outdoors, or an unfamiliar cat has started hanging out in your backyard, you’ve likely wondered if the cat needs your help. The answer is maybe. The cat may be: an owned pet who lives nearby and is allowed to roam outside. a lost cat whose owners are searching for their...

Updates Nov. 28: The cats have been placed with our shelter and rescue partners to find loving homes. We are happy to hear that many of the cats have been adopted and are enjoying life in their new homes! Nov. 7: After almost a month of care and veterinary treatment, the cats are ready to look for...

In January 2023, our Animal Rescue Team responded to an alleged cruelty and neglect case in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, where more than 170 cats were trapped in horrific conditions.

With a mission to protect all animals, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) stands on common ground with those who care about both cats and wildlife. With determination, innovation and collaboration, we can implement and sustain effective programs to humanely resolve human-cat-wildlife...

It's a myth that going outside is a requirement for feline happiness. Playing regularly with a cat and providing their entertaining toys can easily satisfy their stalking instinct, keep them stimulated and provide the exercise they need to stay healthy and happy. It also keeps local wildlife safe...

Our Animal Rescue Team deployed to Muncie, Indiana, in October 2021 ready to rescue dozens of cats living in filthy conditions inside a residential property. As rescuers entered the house, they encountered an unexpected obstacle: A black-and-white cat approached them and began rubbing against their...

The choice to spay or neuter your pet may be one of the most important decisions you make impacting their long-term health—and your wallet! Your pet's health and longevity The average lifespan of spayed and neutered cats and dogs is demonstrably longer than the lifespan of those not. A University of...

Contents Plan for your pets Make a disaster kit for pets If you evacuate, take your pet If you stay home, do it safely Pets and wildfires After the emergency Additional resources for equines, livestock and community cats

Our Animal Rescue Team responded to an alleged neglect case in Topeka, KS where 48 cats and more than 20 dogs were living in filthy conditions, with waste and debris covering most surfaces.

The disaster responders could tell when they were getting close to their destination. Driving south to Antakya—a city revered for its cultural history and home to 400,000 people—they saw a few damaged buildings. But as they approached the city, almost every building was crumbling. Once inside...

Internet pet sale scams We all know the internet can be a great place to buy anything from books to rare gifts, but it's not where you should go to buy a new pet. In addition to disreputable dealers and puppy mills, internet scammers have crept into the realm of online pet sales, stealing money from...

Animal shelters and rescues are amazing! Usually with limited resources and very little publicity, they help untold numbers of animals and people. Give back by choosing one or more of the following ways to show your appreciation for the groups that do so much for animals, people and your community.

The numbers don’t tell the whole story of how HSUS disaster responders helped Florida residents after Hurricane Idalia pounded the region in late August. Before the storm hit, we coordinated and funded the transport of 75 adoptable shelter animals (60 dogs and 15 cats) to safer lodgings out of the...

Extreme weather events like wildfires can kill wild animals, either from the fire itself, through smoke inhalation or through loss of habitat. Animals who are very young, old or otherwise unable to move away quickly are particularly vulnerable. Wild animals cope with wildfires in a variety of ways...

In September 2022, our responders assisted with rescue calls and community outreach in the wake of devastating flooding and destruction in Charlotte County, Florida, after Hurricane Ian.

To protect their pets, many owners turn to microchips. Microchips are tiny transponders, about the size of a grain of rice, that can be implanted under your pet’s skin by most veterinarians and animal shelters; some shelters implant chips in all pets they place. A microchip isn’t the same as a GPS...

About our volunteers Animal rescue volunteers (ARVs) work with our Animal Rescue Team to help save animals who are victims of illegal animal cruelty and disasters. When we respond—whether to a hurricane, large-scale neglect case, dogfighting or commercial breeding operation—animal rescue volunteers...