Monday, December 28, 2009

from today's Herald


Clare group helps feral cats
Society wants to get problem under control


By BRIAN MEDEL Yarmouth Bureau Tue. Dec 29 - 4:45 AM

Laurent Comeau tries to coax a feral cat from hiding at the Saulnierville wharf. Many feral cats roam the region’s fishing wharfs. (Brian Medel / Yarmouth Bureau)


SAULNIERVILLE — The Clare Feral Friends Society has an ambitious plan for 2010.
It hopes to get a group of wild wharf cats under control by spring.
"This is where people drop off unwanted cats and kittens," Adele Bourque said recently, pointing toward huge boulders put in place to protect parts of the Saulnierville wharf from wind and waves.
The society was started in May 2006 when Ms. Bourque and Glenda Deveau decided to do something about the increasing number of wild cats at the Meteghan and Saulnierville wharfs. The animals, with neither food nor shelter, prowl the fishing wharfs.
A lot of kittens were born at the Saulnierville wharf this summer, and the society has been trying to trap female cats at both wharfs to have them spayed. But that’s expensive, so the society began its fundraising quest by placing donation jars around the communities and holding yard sales and raffles.
People drop off their unwanted cats at their local wharf when they don’t want to pay to have them humanely euthanized, Ms. Bourque said.
"Our group rescued about 15 of them," she said.
But most of the wharf cats don’t survive a cold winter.
Volunteers have built cat shelters where the cats can find refuge. The plywood cat cabins have straw bedding and a small opening only a cat can navigate. Food and fresh water is placed inside.
Laurent Comeau, a retired mechanic, has brought food to the Saulnierville wharf every morning for five years. The cats have come to know him and come out of hiding when he’s around.
In Meteghan, Ms. Deveau has been feeding the cats at the wharf every evening for four years.
The society estimates there are at least 40 cats at the two wharfs and it can’t help them all.
"We don’t have the money," Ms. Bourque said.
The society hopes it can raise enough money to pay for spaying and neutering projects and to establish foster homes for the cats. Donations of supplies, including cat food, bedding material and dishes, are always welcome for the cat shelters at the wharfs.
The society is on the Internet, too. Information can be found at petfinder.com and at novascotiacats.com.
(
bmedel@herald.ca)
If you are interested in helping such a worthy venture, the Clare Feral Friends petfinder page has all the direct info that is needed. I don't have to tell readers here how useful Petfinder is.
If you are looking to help in your own area, or to adopt, TAPA (Taking Action to Protect Animals Society), Healing Animal SCARS - Sonya's Cat & Animal Rescue Society and Beulah Burman's PET Projects all use Petfinder to promote their kitties.
Vet cares for kitten found in trash bin
Tue. Dec 29 - 4:45 AM
A Halifax-area veterinarian is caring for a badly injured kitten that was found in a Dumpster just before Christmas.
Heather Mosher says it appears someone hit the four-month-old kitten in the back of the head with a blunt object and left her to die.
The grey and black kitten is now blind and has fragments of its skull embedded in its brain.
Mosher says the kitten, who she has named Maggie, will likely be adopted by a local family.
The Canadian Press

The story about the Clare Feral Friends typifies the biggest holdup for the tnr folks ... it isn't the lack of energy or love for the animals ..... the problem is the shortage of material resources needed to make a meaningful difference.

If .... at this time of year, you are looking for a tax deductible donation , you can still help the folks doing TNR by going to the Make a donation page on the society's provincial webpage, following the directions on the Canada Helps for the society site .... you will be able to select TNR as an option when donating to the society. I have been assured by the project coordinator that the funds donated to the society for TNR will go directly to the vet accounts for the TNR groups .... I would think that if you want more details, you should contact the society directly.

After all, if your politicians can't seem to pony up for the kitties, you can always do it for them by getting that tax deductible donation in before midnight on Thursday, eh?

1 comment:

Adele said...

Thanks for posting the article about the wharf cats we're trying to help.