27/05/2026
It’s happened again. We’ve hit the wall.
Right now, we are sitting on a devastating $17,460.03 vet bill at Dairy Flat Veterinary Clinic. It is a number that absolutely takes our breath away, and honestly, it terrifies us. If we cannot clear this down, our ability to take in and treat more vulnerable cats will be completely locked down. We will have to close our doors to emergencies.
Every single dollar of this bill belongs to a face. Just in the last five weeks, the heartbreak and the medical emergencies have been non-stop:
Felix: Arrived at just 7 weeks old with a ruptured, agonizing eyeball. We had to rush him into surgery to remove the eye so he could finally know a life without constant pain. Cost: $1,397.70.
Tibbs & Susie: Two precious souls whose mouths were absolute war zones of infection and decay. They couldn't eat comfortably and were hiding away in pain. Both required extensive, major dentals to remove the rot and give them clean, pain-free mouths. Costs: $1,344.50 and $1,717.00.
Donkey: Our gorgeous, wonky boy who already carries the trauma of facial injuries. When a deep ear infection took hold, we had to run extensive lab investigations to make sure we weren’t missing something serious. Cost: $512.20.
Bella: When she started peeing all over her foster home's benches, we knew she was crying out for help. Ultrasounds and specialist tests confirmed she is fighting kidney disease, and we are doing everything we can to manage her comfort. Cost: $779.10.
Frankie: Our beautiful ex-Paw Pad girl. She has fought brutal ear infections since the day she arrived. Scans revealed a deep, unremovable polyp. To save her from endless misery, the vets determined her only option was a TECA-BO surgery—completely removing the diseased ear canal and ear drum to close it up for good. Cost: $2,445.50.
Peaches: The heartbreaking side of rescue. Our beautiful Paw Pad boy suffered a severe bladder blockage. We fought hard for him, but due to complications and how incredibly unhandled and stressed he was, we had to make the ultimate, devastating choice to let him go peacefully. Cost: $1,343.10.
These are just a handful of the cases making up this bill. On top of this, the daily reality of cat flu, gastro, general illnesses, check-ups, and essential blood testing has stacked up to that massive $17,460.03 mountain.
We have 26,000 page followers. We do not need anyone to break the bank. We just need to work together.
If just 3,500 of our amazing followers—around 15% of you—can spare exactly $5, this entire bill is completely wiped out today. If you can spare $10, we can breathe again in half the time.
Please, if you love what we do, skip a coffee today and stand with us so we can keep our doors open for the next cat who needs us.
How to help clear our slate:
1. Direct to our Vet Account (Best for 100% of funds reaching the bill):
Bank: 02-0278-0318670-00
Account Name: Albany Veterinary Clinic (this is the official bank account name for Dairy Flat Vet)
Particulars: GUTTE50 (You MUST use this code so it goes to our bill!)
Code/Reference: Gutter Kitties
2. Other Online Options - Givealittle, PayPal, or our direct rescue account pleasevisit www.gutterkitties.co.nz/donate
Every single dollar donated, every share of this post, every comment to help the algorithm get this in front of eyes—it all matters. Thank you for being the safety net these cats so desperately need. We cannot do this without you.