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Veterinary project to spay, neuter cats is funded by anonymous donation
By Katie Byard
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 02:22 p.m. EDT, Oct 01, 2008
Bernice Aronhalt arrived with five cats crowded into the back seat of her Ford Taurus.
She was happy; the meowing felines were not.
Within hours, the cats would be ''fixed'' — spayed or neutered — for free.
''This is awesome,'' the 38-year-old Aronhalt said outside the mobile veterinary clinic in a parking lot in Lakemore.
Aronhalt, who works at an area factory, hadn't planned on adopting so many cats.
''They're strays that hang out'' near her Lakemore property, she said. ''I just want to stop them from overpopulating.''
The spaying and neutering project in Summit County is being financed by a gift of $50,000 from an anonymous donor.
Area animal welfare groups — members of the Summit Animal Coalition — are coordinating the effort, dubbed ''No More Fat Cats.''
More than 500 cats have been altered since Sept. 2; the program will wrap up next month.
Across the country, shelters are being overwhelmed with cats. Sarah Aitken, director of the nonprofit One of a Kind Pet Rescue/Spay and Neuter Clinic, an Animal Coalition member, said too many of these cats end up at pounds, where — if not adopted in a set amount of time — they are euthanized.
At the Summit County Animal Control facility in Akron, 669 cats were euthanized during the 12-month period ending in August. Many of these were feral, sick or injured.
During that same time, 605 cats were adopted from the facility and 14 were redeemed by owners.
''The only humane solution to euthanasia is spaying and neutering,'' Aitken said.
The resources of animal shelters only go so far.
The Humane Society of Greater Akron, which has about 300 cats at its Boston Township shelter and another 150 in foster homes, is using about 6,000 pounds of kitty litter a month, said Executive Director Karen Conklin. Medical costs are adding up.
''It's overwhelming,'' she said. ''We clean cages and litter boxes every single day. It's time intensive.''
The Humane Society takes in abused, neglected and abandoned animals and only euthanizes them if they are dangerous or are suffering.
For the spaying and neutering effort, the Animal Coalition is targeting various neighborhoods, putting up billboards and fliers.
These areas tend to have high rates of animal nuisance and neglect calls, Aitken said.
In addition to the mobile clinics in big vans, surgeries also are being done at One of a Kind in Akron; at another area nonprofit, Pet Guards of Cuyahoga Falls; and at the offices of two area veterinarians.
Response to the free spaying and neutering has been overwhelming, Aitken said.
''We could easily do 2,000 cats,'' she said, based on the number of calls.
She and the other Animal Coalition members hope that another donor will come forward to expand the program.
The anonymous donor gave the $50,000 through the Akron Community Foundation.
''Simply demanding that all animals be spayed and neutered doesn't solve the problem,'' the donor said in an e-mail. ''People don't have the resources to have all their neighborhood's strays spayed.''
That donor was inspired by the foundation's Animal Welfare Fund, which was set up by another anonymous donor with a $300,000 donation in 2006, said foundation spokeswoman Tina Boyes.
The Animal Welfare Fund made its first grant — one for $15,950 — this year. That money will pay for the spaying and neutering of about 260 feral cats in Summit County.
Donations to the ''No More Fat Cats'' initiative can be mailed to the Akron Community Foundation, 345 W. Cedar St., Akron, OH, 44307. Checks should be made out to ACF/Fat Cats.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com.
Bernice Aronhalt arrived with five cats crowded into the back seat of her Ford Taurus.
She was happy; the meowing felines were not.
Within hours, the cats would be ''fixed'' — spayed or neutered — for free.
''This is awesome,'' the 38-year-old Aronhalt said outside the mobile veterinary clinic in a parking lot in Lakemore.
Aronhalt, who works at an area factory, hadn't planned on adopting so many cats.
''They're strays that hang out'' near her Lakemore property, she said. ''I just want to stop them from overpopulating.''
The spaying and neutering project in Summit County is being financed by a gift of $50,000 from an anonymous donor.
Area animal welfare groups — members of the Summit Animal Coalition — are coordinating the effort, dubbed ''No More Fat Cats.''
More than 500 cats have been altered since Sept. 2; the program will wrap up next month.
Across the country, shelters are being overwhelmed with cats. Sarah Aitken, director of the nonprofit One of a Kind Pet Rescue/Spay and Neuter Clinic, an Animal Coalition member, said too many of these cats end up at pounds, where — if not adopted in a set amount of time — they are euthanized.
At the Summit County Animal Control facility in Akron, 669 cats were euthanized during the 12-month period ending in August. Many of these were feral, sick or injured.
During that same time, 605 cats were adopted from the facility and 14 were redeemed by owners.
''The only humane solution to euthanasia is spaying and neutering,'' Aitken said.
The resources of animal shelters only go so far.
The Humane Society of Greater Akron, which has about 300 cats at its Boston Township shelter and another 150 in foster homes, is using about 6,000 pounds of kitty litter a month, said Executive Director Karen Conklin. Medical costs are adding up.
''It's overwhelming,'' she said. ''We clean cages and litter boxes every single day. It's time intensive.''
The Humane Society takes in abused, neglected and abandoned animals and only euthanizes them if they are dangerous or are suffering.
For the spaying and neutering effort, the Animal Coalition is targeting various neighborhoods, putting up billboards and fliers.
These areas tend to have high rates of animal nuisance and neglect calls, Aitken said.
In addition to the mobile clinics in big vans, surgeries also are being done at One of a Kind in Akron; at another area nonprofit, Pet Guards of Cuyahoga Falls; and at the offices of two area veterinarians.
Response to the free spaying and neutering has been overwhelming, Aitken said.
''We could easily do 2,000 cats,'' she said, based on the number of calls.
She and the other Animal Coalition members hope that another donor will come forward to expand the program.
The anonymous donor gave the $50,000 through the Akron Community Foundation.
''Simply demanding that all animals be spayed and neutered doesn't solve the problem,'' the donor said in an e-mail. ''People don't have the resources to have all their neighborhood's strays spayed.''
That donor was inspired by the foundation's Animal Welfare Fund, which was set up by another anonymous donor with a $300,000 donation in 2006, said foundation spokeswoman Tina Boyes.
The Animal Welfare Fund made its first grant — one for $15,950 — this year. That money will pay for the spaying and neutering of about 260 feral cats in Summit County.
Donations to the ''No More Fat Cats'' initiative can be mailed to the Akron Community Foundation, 345 W. Cedar St., Akron, OH, 44307. Checks should be made out to ACF/Fat Cats.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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akron, oh
Posted 03:10 PM, 10/01/2008
What a great program! Thanks to the donor who helped fund it. There are too many strays, but if we can at least stop unwanted litters, it will be a great help to cutting down cat overpopulation.
akron, oh
Posted 04:23 PM, 10/01/2008
Just shoot the cats first and then the owners that fail to get them fixed and let them roam free.
