by Suzyn Barron, President of Warwick Valley Humane Society, Inc.
Did you know just a few short years ago our organization recruited volunteers for our “For the Ferals” TNR (trap-neuter-return) program? It’s been a huge success in reducing ever increasing cat populations throughout our community. The program, however, is only successful when our TNR team has the full cooperation of the homeowner and neighborhood. Full cooperation means following their instructions to the letter, even if it means “not feeding” or feeding only at a designated location and time. The For the Ferals Fund relies on donations to help cover the cost of spaying or neutering and vaccinating each cat. If people choose to trap cats they are caring for by feeding, the SNR low cost certificates with The Animal Rights Alliance can be purchased from the shelter for only $25.00.
TNR is the proven method of reducing cat overpopulation and we are indebted to our volunteers who devote their time, energy, sleep and transportation when tackling these human made cat colonies. If you feed ‘em, FIX ‘em!
Recently we received a desperate call for kittens weaving in and out of cars at a dealership located on a very busy roadway. TNR expert, Veronica, set up cameras and one by one trapped 3 young, very feisty kittens saving their lives from ending up as roadkill. TNR pays off by preventing reproduction but the price to our organization is the young kittens coming into the shelter to be raised and adopted which dramatically increases the shelter overpopulation. Infant kittens require around the clock care while kittens over 6 weeks need multiple feedings throughout the shelter day. Add to that the multiple vaccinations, de-worming and all too often antibiotic medications. However, no pet leaves the shelter intact which multiplies the end result of TNR.
A few hours before writing this column, the shelter received a frantic call for a cat in a sewer drain in the side lot of Shoprite. Upon arrival our Animal Control Officers were met by a small group of very caring and worried people who had already removed the heavy iron grate. We could hear the distant cries of a kitten and had come prepared except the sewer had about a foot of water at the bottom and we didn’t have boots. No matter, because ACO Mikayla lowered herself into the sewer as I was making kitten meows to stay in contact with him or her. When it became obvious that the kitten was not approaching the opening I called Veronica to the rescue who arrived with a trap, boots, a large flashlight and most importantly, roasted chicken! Continuing the calling and offering chicken brought the kitten within reach and ACO Mikayla, calf deep in mucky water, grabbed him or her as she was eating the piece of chicken. Once inside the carrier, we all breathed that sigh of relief.
No doubt this kitten is a sibling of the three that Veronica had trapped earlier in the week and will be reunited with its family. So what’s one more shelter kitten among 85 others?!
Pets of the Week:
