Tiny Miracles Kitten Rescue faces an indefinite closure due to lack of funds

Tiny Miracles Kitten Rescue announced Monday on its Facebook page it has "closed for the indefinite future" due to a lack of funds but hopes to be accepting more kittens into its shelter by October. The nonprofit organization is a fully foster-based neonatal kitten rescue in Johnson City. Casandra Clifton, trustee on the board of Tiny Miracles, said the announcement was made due to a culmination of decreased adoptions and veterinary costs. "I think maybe we've had 25 adoptions in a month, and due to that, we can't continue to take in because we don't have the foster room, and we don't have the funds to fill those spay-neuter slots," she said. Clifton said Tiny Miracles is primarily funded by donations, while other support comes in the form of grants and adoption fees. The lower number of adoptions paired with an unexpected $2,000 vet bill for a pregnant cat's emergency surgery, has left Tiny Miracles unable to accept any more kittens into its care. "We don't want people to think we're just closing the doors – indefinitely, right now, we have to say we're closed because we're closed for intake and everything," Clifton said. "But we still have these babies that need homes, we still have these babies that need funding to get them fixed and get them into their forever homes." Currently, Tiny Miracles has 338 kittens in its care, with each one placed in a foster home. Clifton said the reactions she's seen and heard from the community are in concern about Tiny Miracles permanently closing because of their importance for the region, being the only neonatal kitten rescue in the Appalachian Highlands. Though there is concerns about the nonprofit's future, Clifton said there have already been people donating to help mitigate the depleted funds. She added while Tiny Miracles is halting its intakes for now, her hope is the organization will be operating as normal by October so long as funding continues to build. As of Tuesday afternoon, 198 of 338 kittens at Tiny Miracles are available for adoption. Clifton said the organization is looking to partner with any other group or business hosting fundraisers, as well as accepting donations through its website, PayPal and Venmo accounts.