2013 Review: Bottle Baby Program

Jan 08, 2014

By: Amanda Phillips

Let's start off the new year by looking at some of our successful programs from 2013, starting with the Bottle Baby Nursery.  For those of you who may be unfamiliar with this program, it was designed in 2009 to help save orphaned, un-weaned kittens that are automatically at risk of euthanasia in many of the Central Texas shelters.  This unfortunate outcome is due to the fat that neither the shelters, nor other local rescue groups, can provide the intensive care that these sweet, little babies require to survive.  Since 2011, the Bottle Baby Program has managed to save every neonatal kitten that Austin Animal Center has received and even help several other area shelters.

We are proud to say that for 2013, this program saved the lives of over 1,600 orphans!  Furthermore, while most experts predict a 10% survival rate for neonatal orphans, the Bottle Baby Program maintained an amazing 90% survival rate for the year.  None of this would have been possible without the Bottle Baby Nursery's great staff, dedicated team of over 150 volunteers, the warm homes of approximately 300 fosters, and the generous support of the public.  In order to keep moving forward with such a high level of success, we rely heavily on donations; which help to provide the milk, food, supplies, and medicine needed to give these orphans a chance at life.  Please consider making a donation to the Bottle Baby Program to help us prepare for this year's upcoming kitten season!