The Kittens of Kismutt

I recently visited Kismutt Rescue in St. Mary's and was extremely impressed with the facility. Kimberly runs a rescue/boarding kennel/animal control shelter that is bright and clean with spacious indoor and outdoor spaces and happy dogs running around all over the place. Although Kismutt rescues dogs from other municipalities and shelters, one of their main focuses is saving dogs from the local Amish puppy mill industry. (There is a very dark side to these seemingly charming and quaint communities, where animals are treated as objects, with no regard for or recognition of their pain and suffering). Kimberly has spent years developing relationships with these people so that they will allow her to rescue sick, injured and aging dogs from them, rather than "culling" the animals when they have ceased being useful and profitable. For more information on Amish puppy mills and Kismutt's work in opposing them, click here.

Although they are a dog rescue, Kismutt did not turn away the pregnant cat that showed up on their doorstep and I got to photograph her adorable kittens who are now looking for homes.