Zuzu and Zucca were only eight weeks old when Chicago's winter nearly took their lives.

These tiny sisters were found alone outdoors during one of the coldest, snowiest days we've seen in years. No mother. No shelter. No way to escape the brutal cold. 

By the time a PAWS volunteer trapper reached them through our Community Cats program, Zuzu and Zucca were barely clinging to life. Their ears were badly frostbitten. Their tiny bodies were dangerously dehydrated. Without immediate rescue, their outcome would have been heartbreaking — and very likely fatal.

Zuzu and Zucca survived because help arrived in time. 

But right now, so many others are still out there — facing freezing temperatures with nowhere to turn. 

Winter is always dangerous for homeless pets. This winter is proving especially deadly. Long-term forecasts show the cold and snow aren’t letting up — and every extra frigid night puts more lives at risk. 

At the same time, Chicago Animal Care and Control, the city shelter, remains overwhelmed with homeless pets. When shelters are inundated, the risk of euthanasia rises — not because animals aren’t worthy of life, but because space and resources run out.

This is why your support is needed right now.

Your donation today helps PAWS: 

• Rescue vulnerable pets before the cold claims them 

• Provide emergency medical care for frostbite, dehydration, and illness 

• Relieve overcrowded shelters by transferring animals to safety 

• Give kittens like Zuzu and Zucca a real chance at life 

Make an urgent gift now to help rescue pets suffering in this brutal winter. 

Every gift you give helps us say “yes” when the next call comes in — another kitten freezing outdoors, another life hanging in the balance. 

Zuzu and Zucca are warm tonight because someone like you cared enough to act.

Please be that someone again.

P.S. Our Community Cats program — including volunteer trappers and Trap-Neuter-Return — is a critical lifeline during extreme weather. These volunteers are often the only reason kittens like Zuzu and Zucca survive. Your gift today keeps this lifesaving work going when winter is at its worst.