To the editor:
Losing the first-place $1,000 prize of the animal rescue site internet voting contest actually had a silver lining for the cats and kittens at Halfway Home Pet Rescue, Inc. (HHPR). Our already high adoption rate simply skyrocketed even higher. So our kitties won very big time.
I cannot be grateful enough for our public support. The prize was planned to be added to our future building fund and its loss inspired the thought of a $1 to $1,000 mail donation campaign. The $1 challenge has now given us close to $2,300 more into our dream of a future building. We still continue to receive $1 bills and wishes of good luck in our mailbox. We started with $920 dollars in that account and now have $3,300. Yes!
The cats are currently housed in my house and in that of a few foster homes. This is necessary because as a shelter that is only a little over 2 years old, we have to build a solid financial future while working toward a building account. It is hard to be patient, but our highest priority is to provide all necessary medical care, including spay/neuter surgery, to each cat before adoption.
Kittens, who are too young for surgery, are provided with a spay/neuter voucher to make sure surgery takes place. The participating vet bills us.
We took in two young kittens tonight that were found abandoned sitting on a snowbank on a country road. Tomorrow, we already have 11 more cats scheduled to come in with seven of those being young kittens. Yes, we need a building — but the only way to curtail this constant flow of unwanted, uncared for kittens and cats is to spay/neuter as a matter of policy as though there is no other way to live. Humane shelters should live (operate) that way. If we do not practice what we preach — spay/neuter, spay/neuter, if we make the excuse that there is not enough money to do all the cats, then why do we criticize those families who could not spay/neuter because the kid needed a pair of shoes or the baby had an ear infection and money, therefore, was very short.
Our biggest expense is the medical bills for our kitties and each year we raise the bar to make it larger because that clearly means we are spaying more animals. This is our highest priority. It is hard to be patient, but we will be patient because from this minute 9 p.m. Thursday night to 11 a.m. Friday morning, we need to work to raise the funds to spay/neuter 13 more cats. While we slept, they multiplied.
Check the HHPR Valentine Weekend Cat/Kitten Adoption Fair at the Presque Isle Tractor Supply Store on Houlton Rd. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12 and from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday. As well as cats, we will have a White Elephant Table sale (nicely used second hand items), a Collectible Doll Table (for under $15), a 50/50 cash draw ticket table, and Pinky the Clown will show up with his animal balloons. A lunch of hotdogs, chips and soda for $1 and pizza slices and soda for $1.50 will be served on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be several door prizes and free treats for the children.
Come party with the Halfway Home Pet Rescue cats.
Norma Milton
Caribou
