Paws of PA

January News

New Year's resolutions - we all have them. Even PAWS. One of PAWS' resolutions this year is to grow our membership base. This year, 2009, is PAWS 30th year in operation. We grew from a handful of animal lovers into an organization that consists of over 300 people. Please, everyone who has donated in the supported or who volunteers but is not a member, join us (see below) and together we will forge a better tomorrow for the animals - and ourselves.

PAWS ANNUAL DINNER

PAWS annual dinner was held December 18.

PAWS awardees included:

Cyntha Magaro Awardee 2008: Johnna Seeton, an avid animal activist for both the 2 footed (and winged) and 4 footed animals. She was a teacher until she retired in 1986 and along with several others formed the Pennsyvlanaia Legislative Animal Network - an all volunteer organization.

Volunteer Appreciation Awards:

Christine Arnold

Anita Frullani

Kimberly McShane

Stephanie Miller

Jim and Marian Mills

Linda Mummaw

Jeanie Peiffer

Lois Schlegel

Betty Schlegel

Barb Schultz

Jessie Smith

Cheryl Weidenhammer

Special Appreciation Awards

Bill Hetrick

Justin McShane

Dr. Tracy Moussa

Dr. Lisa Wolkind

PAWS has three major fundraisers per year:

Mothers Day Tea in Lancaster

Masquerade Ball (save the date for this year - October 31) - 2008 was the 2nd year of the ball and PAWS brought in approximately $7,500

Board Challenge - Grateful Dog Walk at Woofstock - we made almost $7,000

In 2008, the spay/neuter line received over 3,000 calls and about 1,200 reduced fee spay/neuter vouchers were sent out to assist pet owners in spaying and neutering their cats and dogs.

PAWS facilitated about 2,600 TNR surgeries

Approximately 300 cats and kittens were adopted, there are currently about 180 cats and kittens in foster homes currently. Adoptions are down this year due to the down turn of the economy (please see ideas below to raise money for your pet food and keep your pet in your home).

PAWS cannot accept dogs in foster due to lack of foster homes, however, we do accept PAWS dogs previously adopted and being returned (again, please see ideas below to raise money for your pet food and keep your pet in your home).

Officers for 2009 will be announced in the next newsletter.

RELOCATION

Relocation is the process of moving a stray or feral cat from it's current outdoor home to a new outdoor home. It is an involved process, and requires the efforts of a caretaker at the new location. However, due to the large variation in cat personalities and outdoor habitats, relocation is seldom very successful.

Here are examples of situations where relocation nearly always fails:

Cats that are very feral;
Too few cats relocated to a site,
or Individual cats relocated;
Kittens under 6 months relocated without a mother

PAWS does not actively participate in the relocation of cats but understands it may be necessary in the following situations:

The lives of the cats are being threatened in a way that can not be legally remedied;
Their building/shelter is being destroyed and it is impossible to provide an alternative shelter at their current home, or within a workable "migration" distance;
There is no caretaker available , and it is impossible/illegal for another caretaker to be provided
A fully-qualified new site is available

Rationale: Feral cats become well adapted to their territory and can live safely and contentedly in alleyways, parking lots, vacant lots, backyards and a host of other locations - urban, suburban and rural. The present home of a feral colony is the optimal place for the cats as they have probably been living there for some time. Colony cats develop very strong bonds with one another, their present territory and caretaker.

Why are we so opposed to relocating cats? It comes from much effort being expended, only to see the cats die or disappear. There are more ways for relocation to go WRONG than to go right, including:

In most cases, the relocated cats will disappear, either being driven off by territorial cats or other animals in the area or following their intense natural instinct to return "home."
Cats trying to find their way home often become lost or are killed attempting to cross major roads.
Cats are killed by hazards/threats they have never encountered before (like coyotes, chemicals, open wells, etc.)
Sanctuaries (life-long indoor mass homes) are few and most feral cats would not be happy living in confinement. Placing a feral in a sanctuary would take a home away from a domestic cat that may live quite contentedly there.
Relocating all or most of the cats in a colony can open up a "void" called the vacuum effect. This allows un-neutered cats to move into the area, starting the cycle all over again if there is shelter or food to attract them. The food supply could be unsecured trash cans, an unknown feeder or wild rodents.
Feral cats form strong bonds with other cats in their colonies. Separating a cat from her colony members and leaving her alone in a new environment will cause stress, depression and loneliness, and increase their desire to return home

** Many thanks to Indy Feral for providing the above text. Visit their website for additional resources! www.indyferal.org

If all other resources have been exhausted and relocation seems to be the only option, please see the following link for safe relocation guidelines:

http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=334&srcid=221

If you need additional advice, please contact us!

Coming in February - Winter Tips!
Further reading on Winter Tips from the Feral Cat Yahoo! Group in South Central PA here.

FINANCIAL, FOOD and/or MEDICAL CRISIS

Most of us have been affected in some way by the economic downturn. Please see below some ways to help you get by and also keep your pet dog or cat - or the feral cat colony that you care for - happy and healthy.

If you care for a large number of animals and do not have enough funds to provide food for your dogs and cats, try contacting area shelters and rescues to see if they have a food bank. Also try talking to your local grocer or pet store and ask if you could have the broken bags, etc.

Recycle your canned items from your home and work too (this works well if you work for a large company or in a large department). Call your local recycling business and find out their procedures and try it out for a month and see what you can get - if you do not need the money, please consider donating the money made from recycling to your favorite charity.

Other ideas include: a bake sale, yard or garage sale. If you have more ideas to include, email feralcat@pawsofpa.org to include in the next newsletter.

Animal Help from Best Friends - includes what you can do http://network.bestfriends.org/Library/Default.aspx?g=1055dd2029fa45baa1c133fba8f5a11b

Medical crisis? Trouble affording spay/neuter costs for your feral cat colony? Contact United Animal Nations for possible assistance http://www.uan.org/lifeline/index.html

Rread the information supplied by the Humane Society of the United States concerning ways to get your pet the help they need
http://hsus.org/pets/pet_care/what_you_can_do_if_you_are_having_trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html

Additional help for those having a medical crisis - please check websites below to see if you quailfy:
Cats in Crisis
http://www.imom.org/

http://www.fveap.org/
http://www.help-a-pet.org/

http://www.corgiaid.org/
http://www.labmed.org/

http://www.petsinneed.org/
http://www.pawssf.org/

http://www.thepetfund.com/

Closing Headline

I would like to thank all of our supporters, without you - there would be no PAWS. I would like also to ask all of you out there who are not members, to join us!

PAWS is supported by over 400 members whose dues fund spay/neuter clinics, veterinary care for foster animals and other essential programs.

Member benefits inlcude: The PAWS' print newsletter, The Paw Print, and are entitled to vote in PAWS' annual election of its board of directors.

Membership is limited to those who DO NOT breed dogs or cats.

The PAWS membership year is the calendar year, starting January 1 and ending December 31 of each year.

Voting Member $25

Junior Member (under age 17) $5

Lifetime Member $300

With your help, we can make 2009 even more successful than 2008!

Contact Information

Kathy C. Smith, President
717.957.8122

PAWS | PO Box 855 | Camp Hill | PA | 17001

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