Dowagiac nonprofit to host adoption event

Published 12:39 pm Tuesday, November 10, 2020

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DOWAGIAC — One local nonprofit organizing is hoping to find kittens their forever homes this weekend.

From 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Hidden Acres Safe Haven’s Helen House for Kittens, 50582 Pleasant St., Dowagiac, will be hosting an adoption event. The cost of each adoption will be $85, which includes the kitten’s first shots, deworming, spay and neuter, and treatment for fleas and mites if needed.

“We have about 18 kittens left to find homes for,” said Dawn East, co-owner of Hidden Acres. “We know there are a lot of people looking to adopt a cat or kitten at an affordable price, and all of [our kittens] are ready to go.”

Helen House for Kittens was established in April of this year after Hidden Acres Safe Haven received a grant from the St. Deny’s Foundation. Since receiving the donation, the nonprofit has adopted out more than 90 kittens and helped with approximately 200 spays and neuters of cats within the community.

East said it had been a challenge to start and run a nonprofit service in the middle of a pandemic, especially as the farm has had to cancel many of its usual events that bring in funding for the animals. However, she said it has been worth it to help area cats and kittens.

“It’s been tough, and it’s going to get tougher, but I know we are helping out the community,” she said. “I knew there was going to be a big response, but I never imagined how big of a response it actually was going to have.”

East is encouraging anyone who might want to add a new kitten to their family to participate in Saturday’s adoption event.

“We are hoping to find each and every [kitten] a home,” she said. “It’s important that they have a home to call their own.”

Also Saturday, Hidden Acres Safe Haven will be hosting a shop and drop event. Community members can donate items to help all of the various animals rescued by the farm. The shop and drop event will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Items needed are:

• Purina Kitten Chow

• Scoopable kitty litter

• Cat toys

• 12 percent Sweet Feed

• Black oil sunflower seeds

• Shredded beet pulp

• Cracked corn

• Timothy or alfalfa pellets

• Pine bedding

• Equine bedding pellets

• Chicken feed

• Rabbit feed

• Canned dog food

• Fruit and vegetables

• Canned pumpkin

• Fish oil pills

• Tractor Supply gift cards

Donations can also be sent through PayPal at hiddenacressafehaven@yahoo.com.

For more information about kitten adoptions or how to donate, visit the Hidden Acres Facebook page.