Remembering the Boys on Spay Day
Tom Cat Special successfully neuters over 1,000 cats.
By Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends Staff The first annual nationwide Tom Cat Special, sponsored by Best Friends Animal Society, can be considered a true success. This special event, held in association with
Spay Day USA, achieved well over 1,000 male cat neuters during the period between February 14 through March 17, 2008, with people participating from throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Guam. In addition, some veterinarians even offered to fix female cats and dogs or offered vaccinations for the same low $10 fee to those in need.
Here are a few examples of how some fellow Best Friend Network members contributed in their own towns in an effort to control pet overpopulation.
Allyson in LaFayette, Louisiana
From an area still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, Allyson Purpera knew the public could use the Tom Cat Special services. She noted that “We don’t have an ongoing low-cost spay/neuter program of any sort right now.”
She started by contacting area veterinarians to participate. However, it was when Purpera partnered with
Acadiana Humane Society and Cat Ranch, an organization she has volunteered with for around five years, that interest began to develop. She felt the humane organization brought legitimacy to the new program and one local veterinarian agreed to the 10 neuters for $10 each. Purpera modified the flyer to make it bolder and eye-catching and posted copies in family owned stores, washaterias, and veterinary offices.
Word quickly spread to the
Wild Cat Foundation since male ferals were also eligible for the program. The participating veterinarian even scheduled backup appointments with the trappers, in case they were unsuccessful the first time. One woman who lacked transportation caught two ferals and Sue Reabeaux, the Acadiana Humane Society & Cat Ranch President, drove 1 ½ hours to transport the cats. It was at the clinic that it was discovered that one of the cats was female. Since she was not eligible for the $10 surgery, the Ranch paid the additional fee to have her spayed.
Purpera appreciated the opportunity to offer these services to those in need in her area. In fact, she also educated the guardians on animal care beyond the importance of fixing their animals. She plans to provide a handwritten thank you note to the veterinarian and personally follow-up with all the participants. This was a good learning experience and knowing the need is there, she is already thinking about plans for another similar program in September.
Claire and Erin in Cedar City, Utah
Fortunately two Best Friends Members united for the Tom Cat Special in Cedar City. Claire Cleveland and Erin Geibink started distributing flyers to local thrift shops, laundromats, the Department of Work Force Services, as well as posting an announcement in the local newspaper. With two veterinarians participating, Dr. Kelly Esplin and Dr. Scott Rawlinson, they were able to get 18 cats neutered through the program. It was a learning process, as this was Cleveland’s first foray into an animal welfare project and she stated, “Now I have a much more realistic perspective on how to make things happen and how to get things pushed through.”
One family who utilized the program has four children, a baby on the way, and a husband who was recently unemployed. Their female cat had just delivered a litter, so Cleveland noted, “They were extremely grateful that they could have this opportunity to have their two male cats neutered.” Once the kittens are weaned, she plans to assist in getting the momma cat spayed.
Do not think that her effort ends there. Though the 2008 Tom Cat Special has wrapped up, as a
Best Friends Ambassador, Cleveland wishes to continue to spread the spay/neuter message. She plans to have an educational table at Groove Fest, a musical festival in mid-July, and will provide information about low-cost sterilization resources in the area.
While ideally she would like to have done more, Cleveland commented, “There are 18 cats out there that are no longer reproducing… and that’s fantastic!”
Stephanie and Maria in Vallejo, California
As a long-time member of Best Friends, Stephanie Gomes, along with her friend Maria Guevara, signed up as soon as she heard about the Tom Cat Special. Gomes is a member of the Vallejo City Council and as an animal advocate, knows first-hand the inhumane ways that municipalities control the numbers of homeless animals, as well as the financial burden caused by pet overpopulation to a town. This program was their opportunity to provide neuter services for those area citizens in financial need, who otherwise would not have had their cats fixed.
The pair initially contacted area veterinarians for participation. The
Solano County Animal Care Services immediately signed up to help and pledged 50 surgeries. Two private practices, Bayside Veterinary Hospital and Broadway Pet Hospital both signed up to do 10 each; however, as people continued to call for appointments, Bayside did more than initially promised. So far, 68 male cats and kittens have been neutered through the program, with even more still to come from the county.
While they posted flyers, the majority of respondents heard about the Tom Cat Special via three newspaper articles written about the program. Though solely for male cats, they received calls from people with female cats, dogs, and even rabbits, who were all referred to the
Benicia Vallejo Humane Society’s low-cost spay/neuter program.
The Vallejo City Council presented the veterinarians who participated in the Tom Cat Special with Certificates of Appreciation in a special ceremony at a City Council meeting. Gomes wishes to continue her municipal support on behalf of animals by holding a town hall meeting this summer to focus on animal issues and is working on a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance.
“It’s really about community and people helping other people and cats,” Gomes stated. “It’s like that starfish parable, it’s about one at a time, every life counts.” It costs the city $175 to house and potentially euthanize each animal sheltered, so the litters prevented by these 68 neuters and will save Vallejo an estimated $100,000, in a very compassionate way.
“We helped not only cats, but helped families become more responsible and helped the city save money,” notes Guevara. “If two people come together with the right intention and the support of the community, a lot of good things can happen.”
Jean in Keokuk, Iowa
Jean Meyer’s life is filled with animal welfare activities, so it should be no surprise that she signed up to participate in the Tom Cat Special. She works part-time at
Keokuk Animal Services, volunteers for Friends of Keokuk Animal Services, and even hosts Pet Talk, an animal-oriented radio program on KOKX 1310 AM every second and fourth Thursday at 9:06 AM CST. In fact, her years of work on behalf of animals won her the Spirit of Keokuk award this past February.
After signing up, Meyer utilized the materials provided by Best Friends to promote the event. However, when the vet agreed to also fix dogs, she modified the flyer herself and had it posted at the Department of Human Services. With an additional article in the paper and even a promotion on TV, she had so many applicants her quota quickly filled up.
The four veterinarians at Krichel Animal Hospital performed surgeries on 11 cats and 10 dogs and a complete vaccination package was offered for a slight additional fee. Meyer pre-screened the applicants, collected the money, and issued vouchers. “They were so overwhelmed with joy, they practically kissed my feet when I gave them the voucher,” noted Meyer. Most of the people left her house and immediately made the appointment.
One woman in her 70’s took her female cat to the vet to be spayed through the program. When she was picking her cat up following the surgery, she mentioned that she had another five-month old female kitten. The veterinary office immediately contacted Meyer and a second surgery was quickly scheduled. The woman was thankful for the one spay and did not want to take advantage of the program, so had not requested a voucher for her second cat.
The Tom Cat Special was extremely well received in her town by people who desperately needed the service, but could not afford it. All were appreciative and Meyer noted, “Even the staff at the vet clinic talked about how grateful they were.”
Nancy in Battle Ground, Indiana
With six veterinary clinics participating, Nancy Allen and some assistants from the
North Central Indiana Spay and Neuter were extremely successful with this year’s Tom Cat Special. With articles in the local newspapers and even a public service announcement on one of the television stations, Allen noted “My ear still hurts from being on the phone.” Her efforts were certainly not in vain, as her work resulted in the neutering of 760 male cats through the Tom Cat Special, and North Central Indiana Spay and Neuter helped provide low-cost sterilization services for female cats and dogs resulting in over 1,000 fixed pets.
Part of the program was to target low-income individuals. That in itself posed some challenges, as many did not have transportation. Undaunted, she personally transported 30 cats herself both to and from the appointments. One such individual who was unable to drive had two male cats. He worked at an area diner and took a bus to work, but none of the participating veterinarians were on a bus route. So Allen braved the winter weather to pick up his cats for their appointment. He did not have the money that day, but was able to give her the $20 on his next pay day. Another woman Allen described as utilizing “every social service possible” had her cat fixed through the program. She noted, “He was all she had in the world,” and when Allen came to pick him up, she met her with tears running down her face and gave her a big hug. This woman was so appreciative; she even phoned the veterinary clinic to thank them.
Those who could drive came from as far as an hour away, including representatives from
Cause for Paws, who would bring in around 30 cats per week to get fixed. Some of the clinics were even able to get vaccines donated for the program, so participants received the FVRCP and rabies vaccinations as well as a checkup, $150 worth of services, for the low $10 fee.
Unbelievably, they are not done. One of the vets has scheduled an additional clinic, where they have offered to neuter another 100 male cats the last weekend in April. Allen herself is still working with one person living in a mobile home park who had 17 adult cats. Though this person only had enough money to pay for three, an anonymous philanthropist covered the remaining charges. All have been fixed now except two females who are nursing litters of kittens. They will be spayed once the kittens are weaned.
Allen has been involved in animal welfare for the past 10 years, and last fall decided to concentrate her efforts on spay/neuter, at about the same time as the Tom Cat Special announcement. “It’s been very worthwhile, because every male cat done amounts to around five fewer kittens, if they only got to one female.” She feels great about having helped those who simply could not afford to have their animals fixed and says many of those she assisted told her that she is the only person who actually came through with what she promised. In addition, she appreciates the newly formed relationships with the area vets, who she thanked with flowers, notes, and a letter to the editor. Of the more than 1,000 animals now fixed in her community Allen states, “We’re making progress, not fast enough for me, but we’re making progress. The more word we can get out about spay/neuter, the better.”
Stay tuned for 2009Everyone involved is excited to have been a part of the first nationwide Tom Cat Special. “Improving the lives and relationships of over 1,000 needy cats is quite an accomplishment!” says Celeste Crimi, of Best Friends Animal Society and program administrator. “I’m especially proud of the Tom Cat Special 2008 local coordinators. They not only coordinated the neuters in their home towns, they also forged new partnerships between the animal welfare, veterinary and low income communities.”
In fact, many participants have already expressed an interest in next year’s Tom Cat Special and some
would even like to expand the program to a Tom and Mom Special, to help people get their female cats spayed, in addition to neutering the males.
Epilogue: Remember Tom Thumb, the Best Friends cat rescued from Pahrump who was the Tom Cat Special mascot? It is with great joy that we can report that he has been adopted and is now living happily in Scottsdale, Arizona. To hear more about this fabulous boy’s new home, see the
Tom Thumb blog.
THREE THINGS YOU CAN DO:1. Intrigued? E-mail
celestec@bestfriends.org to be put on the list to be contacted about the Tom Cat Special 2009.
2. Make sure your own companion animals are fixed and please consider volunteering for or financially supporting
low-cost spay/neuter services in your area.
3. The Tom Cat Special would not have been possible if not for the many generous veterinarians who provided a minimum of 10 neuters for the low cost of $10. All vets should be commended for their efforts on behalf of animals. The Best Friends Network has a new
Best Vets section. Please consider using this resource to find your personal vet to let others know how he or she rates.
For more information: •
Spay/Neuter Fever! community•
Spay/Neuter ResourcesPhoto credits: provided courtesy of Stephanie Gomes and Maria Guevara of several of the cats successfully neutered through the Tom Cat Special Program, as well as the Vallejo City Council recognition of the participating veterinarians. Not all the Toms neutered through this program were adults. The lead photo shows Jetson and Fluffy, kittens who were both fixed through the Tom Cat Special.