Save Foxy's Cradle Neonatal Kitten Rescue

As the founder of Foxy's Cradle, I am officially requesting our communities help in saving our 501(c)3 non-profit neonatal kitten rescue. We provide life saving 24/7 care, 365 days a year, to newborn, sick, injured, abused, wounded, or otherwise high-risk young kittens, or nursing moms with litters found in life threatening situations. We are a resource to countless other rescue organizations reaching as far as NY, NJ, MD, DE, and across PA. Our family of skilled volunteers donate their time, talents, care, and love, to each kitten that enters our home. We hand raise them, provide any medical support or feeding support necessary, to recover them, fully vaccinate, spay/neuter, and find them forever, loving homes.

We have a neighbor who through ignorance has voiced complaints with our local township over our existence. The neighbor, as well as our township, wants us considered a "Kennel" for the fact that we do not "Breed." We strongly promote spay/neuter, and we only exist due to IRRESPONSIBLE breeding. We are NOT a Kennel, we do NOT house dogs, therefore none of the regulations in existence at our township apply to us. We have tried for the better half of 2023 to work with the township amicably, and have received zero willingness from North Whitehall Township to work towards a mutual agreement.

In November, our supporters filled Schnecksville Fire Company with hundreds of supporters in favor of our nursery--not a single person opposed our rescue. That hearing lasted over 5 hours, but no decision was made, and nobody from the public was given a right to speak. It was concluded the zoning hearing board would meet in private to discuss our appeal and we would meet again on Dec 20 at Schnecksville Fire Company for the decision to be heard. Without notice, the township abruptly relocated the meeting to be held at the township building, and we received a letter indicating any of our supporters over their 50 person occupancy limit would be forced to wait outside. They were willing to provide the hearing on a zoom call so our supporters wishing to attend, but were not able to attend due to the township relocating the hearing, but for reasons unknown to us, most people watching on zoom had zero audio available, and could not hear anything of what was said from the township for the entire meeting.

The zoning hearing board ruled against our rescue efforts, without giving a reason, or without being willing to grant a variance, or change, to any of their outdated 30 year old regulations put into affect to prohibit in home dog kennels for forming in the 1990's.

This entire year of 2023, our rescue has struggled significantly to stay afloat financially due to the burden this has placed on us. We have tried our best to continue our life saving rescue efforts, but with thousands of dollars being used repeatedly towards legal fees, the kittens have been the ones paying the ultimate price.

We have a volunteer team of 35 dedicated volunteers willing to continue our lifesaving efforts, but financially we will be unable to do so with this legal battle continuing. We will appeal, we will continue to fight for the tiniest of souls who truthfully have no other option or rescue to go to. This is a fight we cannot do alone, we NEED our communities financial support to get us through this.

I began this rescue as a single mother raising an autistic son. I fostered many neonates in my past, knew the need within the rescue community for a neonatal care home. I began this specialty rescue knowing I needed to be at home due to my son needing to be home schooled, and I was physically able to provide the 24/7 necessary care the little ones required. I could do what I loved to do, raise orphaned newborns, and I could do what was in the best interest of my son, allow him to be educated from home, it all made sense.

The nursery requires 24/7 caretaking for our kittens to survive. The township wants us to relocate from my personal home to a commercial setting. In order for me to do that, it would require me living at this commercial setting along with my son, which they also would not allow. Their demands are impossible to achieve.

Please consider helping to support our nursery through this difficult financial time. We plan to appeal and plan to continue this legal fight as long as we are financially able to do so. As we fight though, we still have kittens in our incubators requiring care, we still have injured kittens with surgeries scheduled and medication required, and we still have kittens needing spay/neuter/vaccines so they can be vet cleared for adoption. Our rescue efforts cannot freeze in order to pay legal fees.

Any donations received off of this Go Fund Me request will be used in the best interest of the nursery--either for upcoming legal fees to continue to appeal, or to maintain the specialty care necessary for the kittens within our nursery program. We appreciate your consideration, and hope you will help us continue our fight to speak for the tiniest of souls who currently have no voice.