Jen's Fund for Hope

Jen Warren loved many things -- her boys, Ben and Joe, her family and friends, and, a close third, all the creatures roaming the earth. Jen never met an animal in need that she didn't try to help. Jen rescued countless injured birds. She was also a fellow volunteer with The Animal Project, a long-standing NYC group that rescues and rehomes stray cats and kittens. She volunteered at our local adoption events, helped feed outdoor colonies of strays, fostered countless cats and kittens, and adopted two beloved rescues, Lafayette and Schulyer.

The last cat Jen rescued was found at the end of August. The cat was starving due to severe congestion, unable to smell her food and eat, but she still came running to us, looking for help and love. Jen and I immediately decided that the young cat (10-12 months old) would not last much longer on the street. Jen took her home and named her Hope. She only weighed 4 pounds.

We took Hope to the vet, who treated her with antibiotics, but she didn't respond well. After seeing a second vet, Hope continued to get worse. Finally, at Long Island Vet Specialists, it was determined that Hope needed immediate surgery to remove a nasal polyp that was obstructing her breathing. There was no time to raise money for the surgery. The options given were to euthanize Hope, or go forward with her life-saving surgery. I paid the cost up-front, and Hope's surgery was performed the same day.

The good news is that Hope's surgery, performed on September 30th, was successful! Hope now breathes well, eats well, and is gaining weight quickly. She purrs continually and loves life.

But there's also tragic news in this story. Jen passed away in September after a long battle with illness. Her family and friends have been devastated. She will never be forgotten by anyone who knew and loved her. We wish she had been able to see sweet Hope become a healthy and happy kitty with a bright future. Thank you, Jen.

This GoFundMe is an effort to recoup the out-of-pocket cost of treating Hope and saving her life. The Animal Project is run entirely by volunteers and has no outside source of funding. Nearly $6,000 is a tremendous amount for a volunteer group trying to save lives on a daily basis. (See surgery bill attached. We also have paid for Hope's previous vet visits.)

All donations will go immediately to reimbursing the out-of-pocket costs of Hope’s vet and surgery bills. We’re hoping that those who knew and loved Jen will pitch in what they can in her memory. And we’re hoping that anyone who wants to support the effort of volunteers like Jen, and her fellow rescuers who help animals in need, will give what they can. Any amount will help.

By the way, Hope is looking for her forever home or even a foster home. (Current photo of Hope attached. She likes to sit on top of the warm refrigerator!) Please inquire if you would like to meet her. You will never meet a more grateful and loving cat. She has taught us that so many things are possible with hope.

Added note: We are humbled by the generosity of so many people. Should we reach the goal that covers Hope's medical costs, we'll allow the donations to go slightly over to cover the GoFundMe fees (about 3%) and then close the fundraiser shortly thereafter. To those who have donated, please accept our sincere gratitude.