Why is this good Samaritan animal rescuer receiving threats from unknown numbers?
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Sometimes, animals are left to fend for themselves. Whether it's a mother animal whose litter has been taken away, or her babies have suddenly become orphans from unfortunate circumstances.
Whatever the reason, these cute little critters sometimes need our help to survive. This is why we should be thanking our animal rescuers and volunteers who do the most in taking care of our furry friends.
When you run an animal rescue business, you risk experiencing more hardships than the average pet owner, but you also get to be a ‘saviour’ and help animals in need.
We all love animals here at the SDC, and we're sure many of you have a soft spot for our feline friends as well.
So, we were heartbroken to hear about the story of Amy Field, a woman from Sydney who has been targeted by online trolls for doing nothing more than trying to save some orphaned kittens.
Since 2018, Amy has been running The Kitten Sanctuary, a volunteer rescue organisation that helps orphaned, neonatal kittens across Australia.
Since she started her organisation, she's saved an estimated 600 kittens – but her work hasn't come without cost.
Vile trolls have been harassing Amy for almost as long as she's been running the rescue.
In a previous interview, Amy said that these strangers have been sending her threatening messages, and even turning up to her house in attempts to adopt kittens they've seen online. And the stories she shared range from whacky and bizarre, to downright disturbing.
Once, an unknown person sent her a message with her own address, telling her they know where she lives. ‘It’s really concerning when an unknown number just sends you your address and goes, “I want a [specific kitten]”, she said.
Amy has also dealt with entitled would-be adopters who try to bribe her with donations to get a specific cat. Impatient, rude, or aggressive people would knock on her door unannounced and demand to adopt a kitten.
‘That’s not how this works,’ she said.
Despite the risks, Amy continues to run adoption interviews in her home. This is also where she runs the rescue together with other volunteers.
The money from adoption fees and donations goes back to caring for the cute kittens, but sometimes Amy gets short on time and cash so she has to juggle other jobs to keep the organisation running.
Amy also takes care to properly get to know any potential adopters before letting them into the sanctuary, but even then, some people get upset when they don’t get the furry friend they want.
‘People will yell and I get some really concerning messages,’ she shared.
Although she blocks rude people from calling her phone, the rescuer still gets harassed via hate messages and negative reviews posted online. Some people even go so far as to contact others who have inquired about the rescued kittens, warning them not to work with Amy.
Some people didn’t like it when Amy and the organisation were featured on Bondi Vet, saying that she was in it for the ‘wrong reasons’. But Amy believes that getting strategic donations and sponsorships will help the rescue on a larger scale.
She shared that if she wanted attention, she wouldn’t pick the ‘animal rescue’ route. ‘It’s not like I want to be famous.’
Well, folks, we hope Amy’s story has informed you of what it is like to run a rescue organisation. It’s also a timely reminder that we must all be kind to those around us. What are your thoughts on her experiences? If you’re keen to learn more about The Kitten Sanctuary and how you can help, read more by clicking here.
Whatever the reason, these cute little critters sometimes need our help to survive. This is why we should be thanking our animal rescuers and volunteers who do the most in taking care of our furry friends.
When you run an animal rescue business, you risk experiencing more hardships than the average pet owner, but you also get to be a ‘saviour’ and help animals in need.
We all love animals here at the SDC, and we're sure many of you have a soft spot for our feline friends as well.
So, we were heartbroken to hear about the story of Amy Field, a woman from Sydney who has been targeted by online trolls for doing nothing more than trying to save some orphaned kittens.
Since 2018, Amy has been running The Kitten Sanctuary, a volunteer rescue organisation that helps orphaned, neonatal kittens across Australia.
Amy Field (left) poses with a cute cat and another volunteer. Credit: The Kitten Sanctuary
Since she started her organisation, she's saved an estimated 600 kittens – but her work hasn't come without cost.
Vile trolls have been harassing Amy for almost as long as she's been running the rescue.
In a previous interview, Amy said that these strangers have been sending her threatening messages, and even turning up to her house in attempts to adopt kittens they've seen online. And the stories she shared range from whacky and bizarre, to downright disturbing.
Once, an unknown person sent her a message with her own address, telling her they know where she lives. ‘It’s really concerning when an unknown number just sends you your address and goes, “I want a [specific kitten]”, she said.
Amy has also dealt with entitled would-be adopters who try to bribe her with donations to get a specific cat. Impatient, rude, or aggressive people would knock on her door unannounced and demand to adopt a kitten.
‘That’s not how this works,’ she said.
Amy shared a concerning text message between her and a would-be adopter. Credit: 9Honey
Despite the risks, Amy continues to run adoption interviews in her home. This is also where she runs the rescue together with other volunteers.
The money from adoption fees and donations goes back to caring for the cute kittens, but sometimes Amy gets short on time and cash so she has to juggle other jobs to keep the organisation running.
Amy also takes care to properly get to know any potential adopters before letting them into the sanctuary, but even then, some people get upset when they don’t get the furry friend they want.
‘People will yell and I get some really concerning messages,’ she shared.
Although she blocks rude people from calling her phone, the rescuer still gets harassed via hate messages and negative reviews posted online. Some people even go so far as to contact others who have inquired about the rescued kittens, warning them not to work with Amy.
The Kitten Sanctuary has rehomed over 600 kittens since its start in 2018. Credit: Alex Bargain in Pexels
Some people didn’t like it when Amy and the organisation were featured on Bondi Vet, saying that she was in it for the ‘wrong reasons’. But Amy believes that getting strategic donations and sponsorships will help the rescue on a larger scale.
She shared that if she wanted attention, she wouldn’t pick the ‘animal rescue’ route. ‘It’s not like I want to be famous.’
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