VAN BUREN, Maine — On Wednesday, June 8, 2016, the Cleo Fund of Maine, in conjunction with the Fort Kent Animal Hospital, has offered to spay/neuter and vaccinate 30 cats from Van Buren with the work assistance of the Halfway Home Pet Rescue of Caribou.
This free clinic is open to stray cats, feral cats and cats of low-income families. HHPR volunteers will transport the animals from a central Van Buren site to Fort Kent and back to Van Buren after their surgery.
In addition, HHPR will be allowed to bring an additional five to 10 cats, depending on space available, to the Fort Kent PAWS low-cost clinic on Tuesday, June 14, and will cover the owners’ costs. This second clinic will also be open to strays, ferals and pets belonging to low-income families.
Through a process called TNR (trap/neuter/return), Cleo Fund vouchers will sterilize feral cats and give them vaccinations, thereby reducing the population explosion of stray cats by spaying unfixed females. This process will also curb the urge of male cats to fight for dominant territory, which can cause the spread of disease.
Stray cats and/or young kittens that can be socialized will be transferred to the Caribou pet rescue for eventual adoption, or may possibly be transferred to a southern Maine pet rescue/shelter for future adoption.
Residents of Kennedy Terrace and Pine Street in Van Buren are being cautioned that HHPR and Cleo volunteers will be trapping in that area from June 1-14. Owned cats should be kept indoor during this time to eliminate mistakes in capture.
HHPR is in need of owned vehicles and volunteer drivers to assist in this project. For more information, call Norma Milton at 492-2264.
