News
Feral-Cat Program Working Hard In West Virginia
November 07, 2006, 12:0AM MT
By Lisa O'Neill
Save a Kitty Feral-Cat Program, Inc.
Save a Kitty Feral-Cat Program, Inc. was formed in July, 2004 to educate citizens on the success of (TNR), Trap, Neuter, and Return as practiced by Alley Cat Allies.
TNR is a full management plan in which stray and feral cats already living out in cities, towns, and rural areas are humanely trapped, then evaluated, vaccinated, and sterilized by veterinarians. Kittens and tame cats are adopted into permanent inside home.
Healthy adult cats too wild to be house pets are returned to their familiar habitat under the lifelong care of volunteers who feed and monitor them each day. There are currently over 60 million feral (wild) cats in the United States.
Many of these animals are abandoned housecats that have converted to a wild state and formed colonies. They are routinely seen around food sources throughout the city. While the Humane Society has done an excellent job in saving many lives, they do not have the manpower or resources to tame feral cats, so this program is a desperate need in this area. There are thousands of feral cats in this city alone.
After years of animals being abandoned, we can not undo the damage overnight. While we have a huge job ahead of us, we have already made a difference. We are asking area citizens and businesses to help fund our volunteer efforts in slowing the devastating overpopulation of feral cats/kittens and to help end their suffering.
We need donations to fund our spay/neuter and medical care program and also our feeding efforts. Thousands of lives will be spared by monitoring individual colonies and making sure they are routinely spayed/neutered. The animals will be healthier and the endless litters of kittens, will continue to slow if the TNR approach is practiced.
It has been proven that cats can live together in colonies and do very well with the assistance of humans, if they are permitted to live out their lives in one location they are familiar with. The group is also working hard to establish laws governing the animals and their welfare. We hope to advocate fines for abandoning or not spaying/neutering cats. While this undertaking will be massive and a long, ongoing process, we believe that citizens working together can make it a success.
We also invite anyone, who is willing to sponsor our organization or sponsor a feral cat for a spay/neuter surgery and additional medical care to contact us. We also need cat food donations. If you can help in any way, please contact:
Save a Kitty Feral Cat Program, Inc.
P.O. Box 1442
Parkesburg, WV 26102
or Call:
Kandi Habeb: (304) 482-8987 or
Charleston WV Area Call
Penny Blizzard (304)776-7371
http://www.saveakitty.org/index.htm