Humane Society gives injured Yuma cat a second chance at life

An injured Yuma cat was pulled from harm’s way and sent to surgery, a small rescue that points to a much larger problem for the Humane Society of Yuma: stray animals keep arriving in need of help, and many of them are not healthy enough to be returned to the street.

The shelter at 4050 S Avenue 4 ½ E says its mission is to reduce the number of homeless pets through rescue, adoption and spay and neuter programs. Its Community Cat Program, backed by Best Friends Animal Society’s funding and mentorship, is designed to keep healthy unidentified cats out of the shelter system by spaying, vaccinating and ear-tipping them before returning them to the location where they were found.

That approach matters because the shelter routinely takes in many cats. Its adoption listings show a steady stream of animals that need homes, underscoring how much local demand the staff is trying to absorb. For residents who find an injured stray, the practical step is not to leave the animal outside to fend for itself. The cat should be brought to the Humane Society of Yuma, where staff can decide whether it needs immediate veterinary care, surgery or another form of treatment.

A similar rescue in December 2024 showed how that process works on the ground. An eight-year-old Yuma boy, Zayin, found an injured kitten and brought it to the shelter with help from his family. Humane Society of Yuma Executive Director Annette Lagunas said at the time that the cat was in really rough shape and needed surgery. Lagunas also praised the child and his parents for stepping in to help the animal.

The shelter’s Community Cat Program is built for healthy cats that can safely be trapped, vaccinated and returned. Injured animals, by contrast, add to the burden on shelter staff, veterinarians and rescue volunteers who must handle medical treatment before any outcome is possible. The pattern in Yuma suggests not just one heartbreaking case, but an ongoing strain on local animal welfare resources as stray cats continue to show up in neighborhoods, yards and streets across the city.