Pet Friendly Services of Indiana is pledging $50,000 of matching grants toward lifesaving surgeries for the community cat population. This funding will be in the form of free spay/neuter surgeries for Community Cat Programs who practice Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) across the state. These groups use live traps to catch outdoor cats, have them spayed/neutered, and return them to their habitat where they continue to live without growing the population.
This year has been challenging for community cats. The shutdown of veterinary offices due to the pandemic occurred in the peak of “kitten season”, allowing cats to breed and populations to increase. By continuing to support TNR in the winter months, Pet Friendly Services hopes to get a head start on 2021.
“Fixing community cats is one of the key pillars of ending the euthanasia of adoptable pets in Indiana,” said Pet Friendly Services Executive Director Cheri Storms “When outdoor cat populations are controlled, they stop taking spaces for adoptable pets in our shelters and rescues, and more animals can be saved.”
Pet Friendly Services will begin by funding 57 Community Cat Programs that can safely trap during the winter months and will expand as funding allows. For more information or to support their efforts, visit PetFriendlyServices.org.
Pet Friendly Services is Indiana’s statewide leader, helping move every shelter to zero-kill status. We do this through targeted financial assistance to rescues and shelters and by providing $25 spay/neuter surgeries to limited-income pet owners. Our small team stretches our dollars to serve as many animals as possible and to make permanent changes to benefit cats, dogs, and the people who love them. Pet Friendly Services receives no government funding and relies on donors, grants, fundraising and funds from the Pet Friendly Specialty License Plate. www.PetFriendlyServices.org
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