Five neighborhood cats get to live free in their community thanks to free vaccinations and spay / neuter services provided for Spay Neuter Network through a grant from Meadows Foundation.
Worried about their welfare, a Dallas resident trapped and brought the cats into Dallas Animal Services (DAS) since they were roaming the neighborhood. She did not know they were being cared for by the family next door. When the family asked about the missing cats, the neighbor told him the cats had all been brought to DAS.
Saturday, November 26, the family visited DAS lost and found hoping to find their cats.
“I arrived in the Lost and Found area to find a grandma and grandchild in tears and a 70 year old man doing his best not to cry. When I asked him to tell me a little about the situation, he explained in broken English that he and his granddaughter had been caring for the kittens in the neighborhood since she had come to live with them” said Jody Jones, shelter manager.
There were five of them and they were not altered so the redemption fee was approximately $700. They came to the shelter in hopes of finding the young cats they had become so fond of and, when they found the associated costs, were devastated.
This poor man was doing all he could to keep his family and the kittens. He assured everyone he had spoken with his neighbor and she truly was sorry.
“As I explained the situation he very gently said to me not quite loud enough for his family to hear, how much is it going to cost? We don’t have much” said Jones. “At that point I asked if we could get them neutered would he be sure to care for them and register their microchips and register them.”
He stated with tears flowing, “how much,” trying to decide if he would be able to afford the price to end his family’s pain.
“I took his hand and said, if you will promise to provide for these kitties as they have provided joy to your family, we will neuter and vaccinate them and return them to you for free.” said Jones
The 70 year old man broke down in joyful tears, his wife and grandchild sobbing and smiling beside him.
Thanks to this program started in 2015, with funding from Best Friends Animal Society, Summerlee Foundation, PetSmart Charities, Meadows Foundation and our private donors; three days later, sterilized and vaccinated, the five cats were returned home by the Spay Neuter Network team.
“When the carrier doors opened, the kittens all began to play, scratch their favorite posts and eat the food they know so well. They knew they were home, with their family, for good. The grandmother was so happy and thankful. She does not speak English so she thanked us the only way she could… with smiles and mounds of candy.” said Jacob Carty with the Spay Neuter Network team.
In the past two years almost 2,000 free roaming cats deemed non-adoptable by DAS would normally have been euthanized, because of this program they have been spay/neutered, microchipped and returned to their homes and caretakers. This program cost Spay Neuter Network $80,500 a year and will be out of funding in early 2017.
Please consider making a donation to help us continue this program in 2017.
