Letter from the Editor: Potter is a kitten. He's hurt. He needs your help.

This report has been updated to correct weblinks and to add the name of the dog who recently came to the shelter, Olivia.

Hey, this is important: I need to tell you about Potter.

Potter is a 2½-month-old kitten, and he is seriously injured.

He's now in good hands, but he really needs your help. A good Samaritan earlier this week found the little guy wandering by himself on Milwaukee Avenue and brought him to Heartland Animal Shelter, a nonprofit, no-kill shelter in Northbrook, according to Gabby Keresi-Uresti, the shelter's executive director. She isn't sure how the injury happened, but it could've been any number of things - some kind of trauma from a car, an animal, a person or by getting trapped somewhere.

"His jaw is degloved; it looks like something cut his skin from the bone," Gabby said. "We got him over to one of our partner vets, where he is still getting care."

Potter had surgery, with the hope of not needing his jaw sewn shut and having to get a feeding tube, she added. "We're not quite sure if the surgery he had will take care of the issue."

Despite the painful injury and surgery, Potter couldn't be a better patient.

"He's just so sweet," Gabby said. "He's purring the whole time, and super easy to handle; he's adorable."

The plan is to find Potter a temporary foster home where he can recover and, eventually, for him to be adopted.

But the road ahead for Potter is a long one. "His recovery is going to take awhile," Gabby said.

It's also going to be really expensive, and that's where you come in.

Heartland has its Dr. Do More Fund, which helps take care of the usual shelter pet medical expenses - neutering, spaying, microchipping, basic veterinary care - and the unusual, big ones, like Potter's treatment.

You can donate toward Potter's care, and the care of the other animals at Heartland, by visiting the shelter's website at heartlandanimalshelter.org.

Those big expenses come along pretty often for Heartland, which prides itself on being a "safety net" for animals that might otherwise be overlooked and possibly euthanized elsewhere.

"We really do try to pull animals (from partner organizations) who don't have any other opportunities because they're older or have medical issues or behavior quirks," Gabby said. "There's nobody else to speak for them, so we do. There's a population of animals that's super healthy and highly adoptable; we let other organizations take them.

"We try to focus our attention on animals left behind, because there's nobody else to speak for them. It's part of our mission; it's ingrained in us. It's important for us to be saving the ones who need us the most."

And speaking of the animals who need saving, just after I spoke to Gabby on Tuesday evening, she texted me about another they'd just brought to Heartland from Chicago Animal Care and Control: A neglected and matted - but very loving - little dog named Olivia who had been left tied out in an alley and now needed surgery because she'd possibly swallowed something she shouldn't have. How could I not also include this sweet little girl in making a case for you to help the shelter?

Did I mention the Dr. Do More Fund? And that you can donate to it and find other ways to help by visiting heartlandanimalshelter.org?

There's a quote I have pinned in the notes app on my laptop; I don't have it attributed, but it's perfect to consider in this situation:

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way its animals are treated."

That's why I'm telling you Potter's story, and it's why I donated when I first saw it. Now I am challenging you to do the same.

Help Potter; help the little pup left tied out in the alley. Help lift Heartland's mission by being a voice for those who may not otherwise be heard.

Because while this is, of course, about Potter, the pup and their pals at Heartland and shelters everywhere, it's also about who we are and who we want to be.

There are other ways to help the animals at Heartland in addition to donating:

Adopt, don't shop

Check out the cats and dogs available for adoption on Heartland's website. They all come spayed, neutered, microchipped, vet-checked and ready for a forever home. As someone who has adopted pets in the past, and currently has one sweet, smart, goofy adopted cat, let me assure you that, if you are on the fence about pet adoption, I would absolutely be the wrong person to talk you out of it. Our girl Lexie is one part funny stories, one part skilled bug hunter and eleventy billion parts unconditional love. OK, and maybe one teeny part murder mittens, too, but don't let that scare you off.

And now through July 11 is a great time to adopt: The Bissell Pet Foundation is sponsoring the Empty the Shelters event, and Heartland will be offering reduced adoption fees of $25 to qualified adopters for all animals older than 6 months.

Be a foster

If you're not ready to adopt, you can be a temporary foster parent. Visit Heartland's website at heartlandanimalshelter.org and fill out a foster application. Remember: Fostering an animal actually saves two lives - the one you take in, plus the one who takes its place at the shelter!

Eat a pizza

The shelter's monthly dine-to-donate event is scheduled for Friday, July 16, at Marco's Pizza, 1990 S. Wolf Road, Wheeling. Mention Heartland between 11 a.m. and midnight if you call in your order or add "Heartland Fundraiser" to your cart if ordering online, and the shelter receives 15% of phone orders and 20% of online orders. Visit Marcos.com or call (847) 215-2233.

• Alexis Something Rose Shamie, Melynda's cat, wanted to let you know you can also help the Heartland animals by getting them presents! Check out their wishlist.