Our pet of the week is a darling little kitten named Bagheera. Bagheera was brought to Happy Paws, DBCHS’s low-cost, high-quality clinic for a neuter appointment but was too sick to undergo surgery. That’s when super foster Sara stepped in to care for the little guy until he was healthy. After a few weeks of TLC, this formerly flea-bitten baby is feeling well and thriving in foster care. He’s been neutered and vaccinated and is eagerly awaiting the “purrfect” family to come along and adopt him.

According to his foster mama, “Bagheera is a very friendly cat and loves getting pets and brushed! He is not super fond of being picked up and carried around, though! He loves other cats and has been great with the dogs he’s met. His fur is still a little patchy, but he will show off his beautiful black locks as he continues to get good nutrition! His favorite toys are tennis balls and cardboard boxes.”

Bagheera is fixed, vaccinated, and ready to go home. If you are interested in adopting, please email me at karikuh@dbchs.org to set an appointment to meet Bagheera.

Did you know? Happy Paws hit a huge milestone last year: since opening in 2007, its performed high-quality spay/neuter surgery on more than 17,275 animals in Central Kentucky!

Considering that there are only two employees at this clinic: a veterinarian and a veterinary technician, this achievement is all the more impressive. The other 10-15 people who care for the dogs and cats are volunteers. That includes director Katie Turbyfill, who spends countless hours ensuring the clinic runs smoothly.

One volunteer notes that Happy Paws has volunteers like no other group: dedicated, cohesive, fun, and addicted to chocolate! Another volunteer said, “This group with a shared mission has always been a pleasure to work with.”

It’s a good thing that they like one another because the job itself is a tough one. Surgery prep and post-surgery care is messy work! It’s a long day, too, starting well before 7 a.m. and sometimes lasting 12 hours.

Four paws up for Happy Paws program director Turbyfill and her current volunteer team: Dorothy Apple, Jennifer Back, Carla Bates, Charlotta Bright Norby, Bettie Byrd, Kathy Crown-Weber, Neil Eklund, Mary Beth Gay, Laurie Hood, Anita Jacobs, Cathy Jerome, Nancy Ketelhohn, Paula Meckes, Beth Minor, Bettie Poland, Brian Reynolds, Julie Rodes and Rachel White.

Happy Paws was established in 2007 to address the problem of pet overpopulation in Boyle County. The low-cost clinic’s services are income-based. Support the clinic, its volunteers, and the dogs and cats in our community and donate today: mail a check to DBCHS P.O. Box 487, Danville, KY 40423-0487. Please note that your donation is for Happy Paws.

The Danville-Boyle County Humane Society is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) established in 1972 that promotes the humane treatment of animals through compassionate care, engagement, and support.