To the editor:
It continues to be very busy at Halfway Home Pet Rescue and we continue to have mixed blessings on a daily basis. Recently we have had several live kittens come in with physical deformities. This is typically due to poor nutrition and physical care of the momma during pregnancy and/or a premature birth. We then have to make a decision of whether the deformity is one the kitten can learn to live with, or if we need make a tougher decision. Fortunately for us, we don’t make the actual decision, we rely on our consulting vet to help us through it.
All of this reinforces the fact that there is not much difference between the needs of humans and animals. When we are told that with surgery after a few months of growth, a good life is possible for the kitten. We go with that choice. We have three great families that have chosen to only give handicapped cats a permanent home. They are a great blessing to our mission.
We are diligently searching for good, quiet home environments for several young adult feral cats that have tamed beautifully. However, they need for their new owner to understand that they need time (maybe a week or 10 days) before they can respond to their new humans with love. They learned they can trust us (HHPR volunteers) and they run to greet us, rub against our legs and urge us for loving petting and kisses, but they will need time to learn about a new environment before they will feel safe responding to the humans. Then you will be amazed at how loving they will be to you. Just give them that precious time element to adjust.
All of our adult cats are free to a good home until June 10th. They have all been Leukemia tested, spayed or neutered, all shots, wormed and treated with a 30-day parasite prevention program. We have given them each between $150 to $200 of medical care before adoption.
At the City-Wide Yard Sale, we adopted two kittens and five adult cats. We raised slightly over $1,200 for our spay/neuter voucher account. We will continue our Saturday Garage Sales from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on sunny days throughout summer. Please shop with us as this is another way we raise funds for our massive spay/neuter program. Right now, we have financially covered all our outstanding spay vouchers, but are not able to afford anymore low-income voucher spaying until we hear back on grant applications.
Our HHPR Building Fund is now almost $4,300. We have a lovely display table featuring our programs and our building account status at the County Federal Credit Union on Bennett Drive. The credit union gave us lobby space for you to see the work we do. Take time to stop by, and while you are at it, you might want to take your returnable bottles right next door to 88 Bennett Drive Redemption or if you live in PI go to the Presque Isle Redemption Center. The shopping cart at Paradis Shop & Save in Caribou is a real blessing for our Free Pet Food Pantry and the Purina Kitten Chow and bleach is a real basic need of our shelter cats. Thank you so much for helping.
Halfway Home Pet Rescue is a 501c3 non-profit, state licensed animal shelter at 11 Pioneer Ave in Caribou. Our mailing address is PO Box 488, our website is www.halfwayhomepetrescue.org. My e-mail address is norma@halfwayhomepetrescue.org and our telephone is 492-1722.
Norma Milton, president
Halfway Home Pet Rescue
