By Gloria J. Towle
Just a shout out and a big “thank you” to Norma Milton and Halfway Home Pet Rescue, veterinarian Beth Sperry and the very many people it took to put three days of free spays and neuters together.
It takes so much time and effort, but this program has decreased the County shelter intake numbers by more than 75 percent, which is amazing when just a few short years ago, all the shelters were busting at the seams with stray and surrendered kittens and cats.
What a blessing it was recently to have veterinarian Sperry of Back Roads Mobile Vet Service of Portland travel to our area with her team to help those pet owners either struggling financially or having trouble getting in to a local vet. In addition, local veterinarian Dr. Brown of North Country Animal Hospital generously helped out.
Spay and neuter clinics provide such an important and vital service to help prevent pet overpopulation. With grants and financial support from the Elmira B. Sewall Foundation and the Maine Community Foundation, Halfway Home Pet Rescue has been able to offer these clinics in Caribou four times a year. Altering 150 cats at each clinic, this has made a huge difference in the many unwanted litters being born.
Volunteers Isaiah Belyea (left, foreground) and Catherine Coston (right) tend to cats in the recovery ward at the free spay/neuter clinic offered recently in Caribou through Halfway Home Pet Rescue and Beth Sperry, DVM. (Courtesy of Gloria Towle)
Unfortunately, what was very disappointing was the 34 people who booked a slot for their pet and failed to show up or even call. This is very disrespectful to the people who have worked so hard to make this possible for our Aroostook County area. Please, if you book an appointment and cannot make it, be respectful and let organizers know.
The next spay and neuter clinic being held by Halfway Home Pet Rescue will be Jan. 6, 7 and 8, 2022. Please consider getting your pet spayed or neutered. Contact HHPR on their Facebook page and set up an appointment for January.
We have noticed an alarming number of cats that are going missing in all the surrounding towns or cats showing up in new neighborhoods, parking lots and rural roads. We are grateful that we can relay and post this information on our shelter Facebook page, and so many of you take the time to share or comment. Many of these wandering felines find their way home eventually, but some may not be so lucky.
We hope that many of you pet owners will take extra precautions now that winter is just around the corner, and especially the shorter, darker and colder days. Having your pet microchipped is always a good idea; also, having a collar with identification information will help get a pet back to its home safely. Contact shelters and provide as much information as possible like where you live, the pet’s description, your name and phone number — and a recent photo always helps.
Stop by the Central Aroostook Humane Society if you are looking for that special furry pet to add to your family. We are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Please remember to be responsible pet owners; spay and neuter.
Gloria J. Towle is the secretary and a member of the board for the Central Aroostook Humane Society.
