Homeless Animal Rescue Team

Guardian Angel Program

Your contribution to our Guardian Angel Fund makes a lifesaving difference! 100% of donations to this special fund support non-routine and major medical expenses not covered by HART’s General Fund. This includes essential interventions like surgeries, dental care, and other costly procedures. The Guardian Angel Fund empowers HART to rescue sick, senior, and special needs cats, giving them the second chances they deserve.
Learn more about our Guardian Angel program HERE.
Thank you for being a Guardian Angel to our kitties!

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HART'S GUARDIAN ANGELS

HART regularly rescues neglected, injured, or seriously ill cats and kittens. While the shelter’s general fund finances intake exams and typical medical necessities, that fund cannot also afford to cover extraordinary and expensive medical interventions.

That’s where the Guardian Angel (GA) program steps in. GA was formed by volunteers and supporters in 2012 to secure the funds for non-routine, costly medical treatments for HART’s felines. The GA program saves lives, ensures that cats and kittens are healthy and pain free, and improves their chances of finding good homes. As a restricted fund, GA proceeds are designated exclusively for special medical expenses.

HART is a no-kill shelter committed to rescuing and caring for homeless animals in need. We will never turn away an animal because of sickness or age. Your support, no matter how small, has a significant impact. GA funds save lives - together, we can make a difference!

Click on the DONATE button below to make a donation to HART's Guardian Angel fund. We accept most payment methods including all major Credit Cards, PayPal, ApplePay, GooglePay, and Direct Debit (ACH).

HART is an IRS-registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and donations are eligible to be tax deductible.

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Read below to learn more about some of the cats recently in our Guardian Angel Program and what makes the GA fund so special. We believe all cats deserve love and care regardless of age, temperament, illness or special needs.

Sayu

Sayu came to HART in 2021, still nursing her 5 kittens. Soon after, Sayu began developing worrying symptoms that her Vets were at a loss to explain. HART's Guardian Angel Program paid for multiple expensive tests and various treatments to be tried. Eventually, after special genetic testing was done, Sayu was eventually diagnosed with a rare Lysmal Storage Disease. Fortunately, she is currently living with a wonderful foster family who is loving and caring for her as we help her navigate her symptoms.

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Mr. Mittens

Mr. Mittens was relinquished to HART in 2023 because his owner was unable to care for him. He had been diagnosed with Diabetes, and it was a challenge to keep his blood sugar balanced. Thankfully, HART's Guardian Angel Program is paying for bloodwork, insulin, and glucose testing to help him live his best life. Mr. Mittens found a loving permanent foster home with a foster who was absolutely smitten with him. Sadly, his health recently declined and he crossed the Rainbow Bridge at the impressive age of 17 years old.

PJ

PJ was a stunningly handsome gray tabby Manx who arrived at HART at 17 years old when his beloved person had to move to a care facility.
In his later years, PJ developed "Manx Syndrome," a condition affecting cats born without tails. This caused him to have difficulty fully emptying his bladder, requiring assistance several times a day. Despite this, PJ took everything in stride and handled it all with grace. Thanks to HART's Guardian Angel Program, PJ received the support and medications he needed to stay comfortable and enjoy his golden years.
PJ found his forever home with a devoted foster mom who went above and beyond to care for him, giving him the happy ending he truly deserved. Heartbreakingly, PJ crossed the rainbow bridge just a few months shy of his 19th birthday. Thanks to the generous supporters of HART's GA Program, PJ was able to enjoy a few extra years of life and love.

Lavender

Lavender Harmony got the help she needed – thanks to HART.

Lavender was adopted from HART as a kitten. Unfortunately, her family was unable to keep her, and drove her all the way back to HART from Wisconsin, because they knew she would be loved and well-cared for.

Sadly, Lavender Harmony was diagnosed with Glandular Lymphoma. Fortunately, because it surfaced on her chin, we were able to spot it early and get her seen by a Veterinary Oncologist. Lavender was lucky she was at HART when her cancer was found, because funds in the Guardian Angel Fund paid for her expensive cancer treatment.

Please consider donating to our Guardian Angel fund so that we can help more cats in need, like Lavender.

Bobby Sox

Meet Bobby Sox! Bobby Sox is a pint-sized Mr. Personality who had a rough start in life. HART was contacted by another rescue and asked to help Bobby Sox after he’d crashed and nearly died on the operating table during an attempt to neuter him. His owner couldn’t afford his care, and the other rescue was unable to help him further.

When Bobby Sox arrived at HART, he was in bad shape - malnourished, uncomfortably constipated, and suffering from severe ringworm. Even though he was already a year old, he weighed only 3.75 pounds!

We weren’t sure he’d survive, but he showed amazing resilience, and healed and grew strong over under HART’s loving care. He was soon after adopted by an adoring family who renamed him "Ocho," signifying the 8 lives he now has left, thanks to HART's GA Program.

Peety

Peety came to HART with serious fur matts and obvious problems with his eyes. The mats were removed, but his eyes appeared to be swollen and bulging, so HART's Guardian Angel Program paid for him to see a Veterinary Ophthalmologist in Arroyo Grande, who determined Peety had inflammation and Glaucoma.

Peety had no vision in his left eye, and only a slight perception of light in the right eye. The Glaucoma was advanced and very painful for Peety, so the decision was made to remove both eyes.

The surgery was successful, and Peety went back to his foster home to recover. At first, he was confined to a single bedroom, where he quickly learned how to navigate to his litter box, his food bowl, and the waiting laps of his foster parents! Before long, Peety was successfully exploring the entire home, and interacting with the resident cats—including a fellow blind kitty, who became his breakfast buddy!

Peety was adopted by his foster family, now lives happily and pain-free. It was a life-changing journey for Peety, one that ended the pain he’d endured, thanks to the Guardian Angel Fund.

Mr. Kitters

Mr. Kitters suffered from a severe skin infection with hair-loss, scabs & raw skin areas. He needed numerous cultures performed to help find an effective antibiotic, followed by treatment which included steroids and medicated baths.

Even though his illness made him itchy and very uncomfortable, Mr. Kitters was a trooper throughout treatment. With the right medication and a special diet, Mr. Kitters is now in a permanent and loving forever home. This was made possible because of the help provided by the Guardian Angel Fund.

Pineapple

Pineapple was a sweet senior who suffered from detached retinas and blindness due to hypertension, as well as severe dental issues. The Guardian Angel Fund helped fix his teeth and paid for medication to help get his hypertension under control. Happily, Pinapple's foster fell in love with him, and adopted him into her family.

Mr. Gray

At 10 years old, Mr. Gray came to HART via Animal Services who immediately recognized that his needs were beyond their ability to handle, but thought this loving and sweet cat could have a chance at HART. His injuries included a broken jaw that healed crookedly and making it difficult to eat, and damage to his left hind leg, which created balance issues.

Despite everything, he was an affectionate charmer who won the hearts of both staff and volunteers. HART's Guardian Angel Program paid to have Mr. Gray see a veterinary dental specialist to see if his jaw could be repaired, and also for his teeth to be extracted to prevent them further injuring his mouth due to the offset of his jaw.

Rufus was losing weight. Sore, reddened gums caused by tartar buildup proved to be the problem. Thanks to GA funding, Rufus received a full-mouth extraction and recovered nicely. Now comfortable and happy, he enjoys life in his new adoptive home.

Garfield arrived at HART needing dental and medical interventions to treat mouth lesions and bad teeth. The GA fund paid for multiple vet visits and medications to correct the conditions. Fully recovered, Garfield found a great home on a ranch in Cayucos.

Phoebe was born with a congenital defect involving her upper eyelids. After two years of treatment, a veterinary ophthalmologist decided she needed cryosurgery to remove the hairs that were causing serious irritation. Her GA-funded surgery was successful, and Phoebe was adopted by the warmhearted caregiver who fostered her during her recovery.

Honey was born with a deformed, non-functional eye. To prevent additional infection or possible eye cancer, the vet recommended removal of her disfigured eye. Guardian Angels paid for the beneficial surgery, and now Honey is happily settled in a caring home, often acting as official greeter when friends come to the door.

Three-month-old Roger arrived at HART with a badly infected eye. Due to the infection, scar tissue formation made his right eye look much smaller than his left, reducing his chances of being adopted. GA financed successful scar-tissue-removal surgery and Roger was adopted just two weeks after his operation.

Only ten days old when they came to Hart, Yin and Yang had good appetites, as Yin clearly demonstrates. Both did well at first, but later developed diarrhea and began losing weight. At that point, GA stepped in to fund lab work and medications. The kittens soon began to prosper and, when ready for adoption, each found a new home.

Midnight sends his thanks to all of you who have supported the HART Guardian Angel Program. The Guardian Angel fund paid for his life-saving surgery that corrected a urinary blockage.

When the HART Guardian Angel (GA) Program learned about Midnight, he had been relinquished to a veterinarian who had been directed to euthanize him, because his family was unable to pay for his surgery. Your donations to GA saved this very sweet and calm 5 year old boy! Thank YOU!

Thank You

from HART and the many cats and kittens who received medical treatment paid for by donations to the Guardian Angel Fund.