For theanimals

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for adoptable animals, updates and events www.facebook.com/ChemungCountySPCA @chemugspca

Chemung County Humane Society & SPCA, Inc.2435 State Route 352Elmira, NY 14903607.732.1827www.chemungspca.org

Hours of OperationMonday-Saturday 11:00-4:30Fridays open until 7:00

MissionTo enhance the quality of life for companion animals in Chemung County and surrounding areas by promoting better futures for pets and their people.

Board of Directors Marci Cartwright, PresidentKim Nagle, Vice PresidentJennifer Cruise, TreasurerSue Morris, Secretary

Robert BennettMarci DanielsJim JohnsonRoger LaughlinScott MerrickGlenn MillerHolly PutnamJerry Wheeler

Spring 2018

Over 125 years of hope, help, and happiness

Continued on page 4

Treating the Cause ….

Last year, nearly 850 unwanted cats and kittens came to the Chemung County SPCA. Think about that number for a moment - 850 cats and kittens. The sheer volume of stray and surrendered cats and kittens is one of the most daunting challenges faced by animal welfare organizations across the country. To help combat this problem, we have for some time provided low-cost spay/neuter services to residents of Chemung County and the surrounding area. However, while our clinic fees are already very reasonable, there are many well-meaning cat owners who simply can’t afford them. And their cats continue to reproduce and the kittens end up at area shelters, being abandoned, or in other homes where they then proceed to reproduce. Then there’s the free-roaming cat population – we call them “community cats” – who contribute the greatest burden of unwanted litters that shelters struggle to deal with. Who is responsible for them?

Ultimately, it’s time to reconsider how we address the cat overpopulation problem in our region, and this applies to both owned and free-roaming cats. There is only so much room at area shelters, and there are only so many adoptive homes in our communities. Overcrowding shelters is not the answer. Euthanizing unwanted cats and kittens is not the answer. If we (and our community) are serious about animal welfare, then we need to get serious about addressing overpopulation. But let’s complicate this just a bit more - despite approximately 3,200 cats and dogs going through our clinics annually, due to limited capacity we cannot even meet the current demand placed upon our spay/neuter program, let alone contemplate expansion into the other areas necessary to have a meaningful impact on overpopulation.

“...it’s time to reconsider how we address the cat

overpopulation problem in our region...”

UPCOMINGEVENTS The Story of Mike Wazowski

Back in April we got a call from our friends at the Finger Lakes SPCA saying they needed our help. They were dealing with a hoarding case in their area where 64 cats were being kept in one room. These cats were in rough shape: deformed, scared, and in need of vetting and socializing. Among the six cats that were transferred to us from this case was Mike Wazowski. While Mike was one of the sweetest of the bunch, he definitely needed some TLC. Mike was missing an eye (hence his name), infested with fleas, and had a severe wound on his tail.

After being assessed by one of our consulting veterinarians, they concluded that Mike would need a partial tail amputation. We took to Facebook to see if we could get some help for Mike ASAP, as he was in a great deal of discomfort. The response we got was unlike anything we could have imagined.

We received an incredible amount of support from the community and, fortunately, were able to get Mike into the vet the next day for surgery. Surgery was a success and Mike was starting to feel like himself again! The vet took about an inch and a half off his tail, and stitched up the area where he was missing an eye.

It wasn’t long after that we had a friend of the shelter reach out who was interested in Mike. She took him home to foster him and he settled right in. He is his mom’s “shadow” and even convinced his dad to spend the first few nights on the couch with him. Mike hit the jackpot! We cannot thank our supporters enough for donating, sharing Mike’s story, and keeping him in their thoughts. They made this happy ending possible!

2

Celebrity ChefApril 13th at the Hill Top Inn

Wine, Wags, and Whiskers July 27th at the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center

Walk N Wag September 29th at Eldridge Park

For more information about these events you can contact the shelter at (607)732-1827 ext. 212, communications@chemungspca.org, or visit our website at www.chemungspca.org

Hello friends!

I hope your 2018 is off to a happy and productive start. Here at the SPCA we are coming off of a stellar 2017. Last year, we increased our cat adoptions by 11% and our dog adoptions by an incredible 40%; our pet food pantry helped well over 2,200 cats and dogs, providing them with nearly 8 tons (yes, tons) of cat and dog food; over 3,200 cats and dogs were spayed or neutered through our SNAP program. 2017 was a record year for us and we will be working hard to continue these trends.

2017 also presented us with another record - a 12% increase in cat intakes. The year before, we experienced an 11% increase; the year before that, a 7% increase. This is a trend with which we continue to struggle and one neither we nor our community can afford to ignore. Thus the reason behind the main article in this newsletter – we must increase our efforts to address the cause, not the symptom. As you’ll see, the Chemung County SPCA will be taking steps (beyond those we already take) to get at the root of the problem. And while we don’t shy away from a challenge, this will be a difficult one. I sincerely hope you’ll support this effort. I hope you’ll help us address a growing problem. While this is a big one, I believe that together, as team, we can meet this challenge and make our community a great place for its pets … and its people!

Thomas GeroyExecutive Director

Executive Director’s Message

3

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: CHRISTIANChristian has been volunteering for us since July 2017 and has logged 65+ hours so far! He is not only one of the best cat-cuddlers we’ve had come through our doors, he’s also incredibly polite, friendly, and just an all around good kid!

“I really like volunteering at the SPCA because I love to snuggle and spend time with the cats. I have learned so much and I think I have helped many of them get adopted. For example, I worked a long time with “Tux” the cat getting him to relax, trust people, and play. When he first came in he hid a lot and by the time he got adopted he was playful and loving. The staff are always very nice, answer my questions and they have helped me understand how the organization works. I am very grateful for their help and for allowing me to work with them.” - Christian

“My experience at the SPCA has been amazing. When you walk through the doors you are immediately met by happy, helpful staff. Everyone is so committed to the animals and they truly care. When I go back to the cat room, I immediately go into a completely “zen” place. I can’t wait to get there and hate to leave. It’s my happy place!!!” - Christian’s Mom

FINDING FUREVER FAMILIES

We want to hear from you!Please submit questions or comments to Arynn Brucie at communications@chemungspca.org.

For the Animals is published twice a year.

15-CMGNY-0318-N

Continued from page 1

Simply reacting to this problem is getting us nowhere. A proactive approach to the ongoing cat overpopulation problem is the only realistic solution. Our affordable spay/neuter program currently faces a four to six month backlog due to the limitations of our clinic operations. And while we’re glad there is robust demand for these services, we need to position ourselves better to meet that demand. As part of this effort, we are in the process of launching a grant-subsidized program for very low income pet owners who cannot afford the already discounted clinic fees. There are grant opportunities available to support subsidized programs and we believe such a program will greatly benefit our community and the welfare of its animals.

We will also stand a much better chance of reducing overpopulation by implementing a community cat program. Under this program, unadoptable (i.e. feral) free roaming cats will be humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and then returned back to the area in which they were trapped. When cats are sterilized and returned, they will defend their territory so more cats don’t move in. This stabilizes, and over time reduces, the area’s population. Trap-neuter-return (“TNR”) programs are also effective at reducing the “nuisance” behaviors associated with large groups of cats, some of those being fighting, vocalizing, spraying, and having up to three litters of kittens a year. Based on industry research and national statistics, this approach is the most effective and most humane way to reduce the free-roaming cat population.

In addition to those mentioned previously, there are other steps we will need to take in order to meaningfully address the overpopulation issue. For example, expanding the square footage of our clinic space and modernizing our facility and equipment would allow us to increase the number of animals per clinic, provide appropriate housing for the animals while at the clinic, increase overall biosecurity, provide the space necessary to implement a community cat program, provide better working conditions and increase safety for the clinic staff and volunteers, and allow us to increase the number of clinics held per month.

The whole idea behind the contemplated expansion, whether it’s a free-roaming cat or one whose owner can’t afford our clinic fees, is to get them fixed so we can reduce the number of cats entering area shelters in the first place. As a community, we need to take a stand. For far too long, we have been treating the symptom, not the cause. Taking a proactive, aggressive approach to the cat overpopulation problem is arguably the single-most significant thing we can do to improve animal

welfare in our region. By expanding our clinic operations, implementing innovative population control programs, and becoming the hub for affordable and subsidized spay/neuter services in our region, I believe we can tackle this problem. This will undoubtedly be a community effort (an effort I hope you’ll support), and I believe the Chemung County SPCA is uniquely positioned to lead this initiative.

Treating the Cause ….• Found loving, new homes

for over 850 cats and dogs.

• Spayed and neutered more than 3,200 cats and dogs through our SNAP program.

• Helped over 2,200 pets through our various safety net programs, keeping them in their homes, with their families, and out of area shelters.

• Transferred in nearly 200 cats and dogs facing uncertain futures at overcrowded, high-intake shelters in our region giving them second chances and brighter futures.

WITH YOUR HELP,IN 2017 WE...

“For far too long, we have been treating the

symptom, not the cause.”

4

MORE Furever Families