MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — The Miami-Dade Animal Services needs hundreds of volunteers to feed newborn orphan kittens.

Cici Gensler, who has been volunteering to foster the kittens for about two years, said she takes at least five at a time. She has saved more than 200.

“They really need you, and that just fills my heart, like I just feel so good giving them the love and the care that they need, rather than them being on the street,” Gensler said. “I feel so good, I took care of something that wasn’t going to make it without me, and I feel like I’ve made a difference in a life.”

Annette Jose, the director of M-DAS, said they need about 300 more fosters to help with the first few weeks, which are crucial to survival.

“The most euthanized animal in a shelter is the neonate just because they are so frail and because they are so vulnerable, but they are also the most adoptable,” Jose said.

M-DAS partnered with the National Kitten College, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving neonatal kittens, in December.

“In the next 3 months, they are expecting 800 kittens to come in,” said Marnie Russ, the founder of the National Kitten College. “We really work with fosters to take the fear out of what they are doing. I mean who doesn’t want to bottle feed a kitten?”

M-DAS adopts out 2,600 kittens on average annually.

Last year, in April, there were 169 neonates placed with foster families. This April, with more volunteers, there were 323.

With all supplies provided, fostering requires a time commitment of a few weeks filled with feeding and kitten cuddles.

“While this kitten right now needs extra help, this kitten, in a couple weeks will be the most adoptable animal in the shelter,” Russ said. “It will be the first animal out beyond anything else, puppies or anything.”

For more information about how to apply to foster a pet in Miami-Dade County, visit this page.

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