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SF Woman Spends Decade Saving Thousands Of Newborn Kittens' Lives
NBC Bay Area ^ | Wednesday, Apr 30, 2014 | Garvin Thomas

Posted on 04/30/2014 2:39:15 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Toni Sestak is used to a crowded house.

One of nine children growing up in Southern California, Toni and her husband went on to raise five children of their own in their San Francisco home.

Perhaps it is her comfort among numbers then, that prompted Toni, once her children were grown, to begin filling up her house again.

This time, with kittens.

Toni's Kitty Rescue, founded by Toni Sestak, is responsible for fostering close to 10,000 kittens over the past decade.

Toni is the face in front of, and the energy behind, Toni's Kitty Rescue. Started 10 years ago, Toni's group has fostered close to 10,000 kittens under the age of eight weeks, saving many of them from certain euthanasia.

Shelters without a foster program like hers, Toni says, just cannot care for animals so young. "Most shelters don't take neo-nates, so they are killed."

Toni says her career in kitty-saving began twenty years ago while volunteering at the San Francisco SPCA. "I was actually a nice, calm volunteer," Toni recalls. "I just sat at my desk and talked to normal people."

Toni, herself, is fostering ekeveb kittens in her San Francisco home. None weigh more than 2 pounds. But then, Toni says, her one cat died and she was asked to foster a mother cat and her litter of kittens. She clearly liked it and fostered more and more kittens.

"I only took orphan kittens, babies home," Toni says. "I just started asking other volunteers and we kept building the programs. Last year Toni's Kitty Rescue fostered more than 700 kittens.

During kitten season (late spring through early fall) Toni can be found almost every day at San Francisco Animal Care and Control. Volunteers bring a steady stream of kittens, mostly born to feral mothers, into the shelter.

Almost ever day during kitten season (late spring to early fall) Toni can be found at San Francisco's Animal Care and Control, taking in stray, mostly feral, kittens. Toni gives the kittens much-needed baths and shots, then works with her team of volunteers to give each one a foster home until they are old enough to be adopted.

At the moment, Toni is fostering close to a dozen kittens in her Upper Haight home.

To an observer, it looks like a lot of work not to get paid for. Toni says nothing is that hard when you are surrounded by so much cuteness. "I just love it.."


TOPICS: Local News; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: cats; kittens; kittyping
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To: nickcarraway

I would love to do that.


21 posted on 04/30/2014 4:19:18 PM PDT by jch10 (The Democrat mascot shouldnÂ’t be the donkey; it should be the tick.)
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To: simonjo
For crying out loud, spay the da** females. This country is going to hell in a hand basket and she is saving thousands of stupid kittens, enough already, too many cats and dogs. Animals do not belong in the house, they are let out to do their business, the Lord knows what bugs, etc. they pick up in their fur and drag it into the house. Most people sleep With these germ and poop carriers, how disgusting! We take showers before we go to bed, clean sheets, blankets, etc. and we do not have to worry about the side effects of animals in our home.

You obviously do not understand the relationships many people have with their pets. I'm not going to tell you how to live, and you shouldn't presume to tell others.

All the cats I have had as an adult have been neutered. All of the cats I have owned since 1990 have been strictly indoor cats. My cats do sleep with me, frequently around my head, or draped across me. They like me.

None of this is for you. Fine. But some of us find the companionship of animals highly rewarding.
22 posted on 04/30/2014 4:58:23 PM PDT by Nepeta
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To: nickcarraway

SF Woman Spends Decade Saving Thousands Of Newborn Kittens’ Lives and PETA killed that many.


23 posted on 04/30/2014 4:58:43 PM PDT by minnesota_bound
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To: sport

What, specifically, did you do today to save babies? If you have time to gripe, you have time to work.
I do pro-life work helping women who decide not to abort, and think that someone saving kittens is to be commended.
All life is precious. All life is a gift from God.
One never knows who one may affect when one is kind to God’s creatures.


24 posted on 04/30/2014 5:35:12 PM PDT by mountainbunny (Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens” J.R.R. Tolkien)
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To: FlJoePa

We rescued a kitten about 3 years ago. She was tiny, and how she survived in the New Mexico mountains is a complete mystery (coyotes and owls take big cats all the time), now she’s completely adapted and fearless, but shows no sign of wanting to spend any time outdoors.


25 posted on 04/30/2014 5:37:32 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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To: simonjo
Wow. Did someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, or forget their meds? Or have you been up late channeling Howard Hughes?

Who died and appointed you G-d? Is for YOU to say what other people do with their time, or what they love?

Decidedly NOT! You run YOUR home the way you want. The rest of us will run our homes the way WE want.

26 posted on 04/30/2014 7:17:02 PM PDT by EinNYC
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To: sport

What she does with HER time is HER business. Not yours. You are not the boss of her. Kittens are also creations of G-d and, like all of His creatures, deserve to be treated lovingly and humanely.


27 posted on 04/30/2014 7:18:36 PM PDT by EinNYC
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To: simonjo

Who peed in your cornflakes this morning?


28 posted on 04/30/2014 7:18:45 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: nickcarraway

Where does she stand on abortion, I wonder?


29 posted on 04/30/2014 7:51:23 PM PDT by mom of young patriots
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To: nickcarraway; Slings and Arrows; Glenn; republicangel; Beaker; BADROTOFINGER; etabeta; ...

30 posted on 04/30/2014 8:15:24 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Richard Warman censors free speech.)
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To: nickcarraway
IF I had the time and money available, I'd be rescuing cats too.

We have a "guest cat" who comes along at night and devours my 5 felines' leftover canned food.

This is a grown cat, a dark brown/black tabby. It has a very fluffy butt and tail, to the point where I cannot tell just by looking if it is male or female. It is friendly but still a little skittish.

It started showing up when one of our neighbors moved out. I have no idea who its humans are.

31 posted on 04/30/2014 8:52:07 PM PDT by pbmaltzman
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To: EinNYC; Slings and Arrows

Amen.

Or as Ceiling Cat would say, ameow.

We need more kindness in this world. Maybe if people were kinder to each other, and more like this woman, the world wouldn’t be in such a mess today.

As for not liking cats, one of the world’s most famous curmudgeons, Cleveland Amory, wrote in “The Cat Who Came for Christmas”, that he never like cats until Polar Bear came into his life. Having had two cats in my life, they made my life so much sweeter. Both were abandoned, and impossible to place, I was blessed by them, and frankly, preferred their company to most people I know in real life.

I hope G-d will bless me soon with another feline friend,


32 posted on 04/30/2014 9:38:22 PM PDT by Gefn (More cowbell)
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To: simonjo

Why, bless your heart; thank you for generously sharing your magnificent wisdom. Permit me to do the same for you. Kindly masticate feces and expire. My cat Shadow fully endorses this sentiment.


33 posted on 04/30/2014 11:34:55 PM PDT by TrueKnightGalahad (When you´re racing, it’s life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting.)
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To: Jeff Chandler

Eat veggies! That is much healther!


34 posted on 05/01/2014 4:03:29 AM PDT by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Thank-you! :)=^..^=

That made my morning! :)=^..^=


35 posted on 05/01/2014 4:04:24 AM PDT by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
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To: Biggirl

Glad you liked.


36 posted on 05/01/2014 4:42:30 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Richard Warman censors free speech.)
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To: simonjo
Mind your own holy damn business, bossy pants.

We take showers before we go to bed, clean sheets, blankets, etc.

Oh wait! You get your own bed clothes so filthy, even after taking a shower that you must launder them every day??

My cats are much cleaner than that.
37 posted on 05/01/2014 6:30:56 AM PDT by TheOldLady
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To: simonjo

I feel sorry for you.


38 posted on 05/01/2014 9:34:29 AM PDT by Fawn ("My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" Hosea 4:6)
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To: LadyDoc
the trouble with kittens is that they grow up to be cats. Ogden nash

That's how I feel about babies! I passed on that life.......

39 posted on 05/01/2014 9:38:12 AM PDT by Fawn ("My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" Hosea 4:6)
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To: sport

God gave us all passions and roles...so that everything gets covered.


40 posted on 05/01/2014 9:38:46 AM PDT by Fawn ("My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" Hosea 4:6)
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