On a cold morning, a good Samaritan found little, 5-week-old Calililly unable to stand, eat or even lift her head.

Vets at the Palmetto Animal League Community Clinic could find no underlying cause for the kitten’s paralysis. PAL staff members fed her with an eyedropper, but she showed no signs of improvement, and we feared the worst.

As a last effort, we moved the tiny kitten into a foster home, and that’s when the unexpected happened. In the loving presence of her foster mother, Calililly walked for the first time.

The only lingering evidence she endured such a rough start is her adorable head tilt.

I founded Palmetto Animal League six years ago for one reason – to save more lives. In my line of work, I see countless traumatic beginnings like Calililly’s, but I also witness the very best humanity has to offer.

Within the four walls of PAL’s Adoption Center, I have experienced the kind of wholehearted, unconditional love that you usually only read about in books. Our compassionate team makes a renewed promise every day: We never give up on a pet.

The most common question people ask is, “How can I help?” I understand that not everyone is able to adopt, and that’s okay.

There are many ways to support PAL’s No Kill movement:

  • Adoption. Our cozy, upbeat Adoption Center, located in Okatie’s Riverwalk Business Park, serves as a temporary residence for approximately 200 dogs and cats while they wait to find a loving home.
  • Volunteer. When you’re passing out puppy snuggles, volunteering never sounded so fun! Work hands-on with adoptable pets, help plan fundraising events or join our Thrift Store team.
  • Donate. When you support PAL with your gifts, you are giving abandoned, abused and neglected pets a second chance at life. You can also donate by shopping at PAL Thrift in Sheridan Park. (Don’t miss our 50 percent off clearance sale through Jan. 7) Great buys save lives.
  • Foster. Loving foster families make rescue a reality. We can only save one life at a time at our Adoption Center, but each time a foster family accepts a pet into their home, another animal can be saved.

We care for homeless pets until they find a home. There’s no limit to their stay at PAL. These are lives worth saving. If you agree, we make it easy to help. Join the No Kill movement at www.PalmettoAnimalLeague.org.

Amy Campanini is president of the Palmetto Animal League.