By Norma Milton
The article by Natalie Bazinet about the plight of Halfway Home Pet Rescue (HHPR) last week’s paper was well written and her efforts in helping lost animals in Aroostook County will have earned her a special place in heaven although, hopefully, it will be a long time before she needs to consider that issue.
Contributed photo
Volunteers at the Halfway Home Pet Rescue in Caribou, know that Momma Danielle is special, a beauty inside and out. Danielle is spayed, leukemia/AIDS tested negative, all shots, worms and has had preventive treatment for parasites. She gave birth to eight babies within hours of her first day at the Rescue and while nursing these active, healthy, happy youngsters, Danielle volunteered her loving time and milk supply to another 14 orphans that came to the Rescue. Momma Danielle’s kindness to all babies gave the shelter environment the sweetness of a Disney movie. After the feeding frenzy was over, Danielle would jump up on the bureau, sit on the baby scales and calmly watch her neighbors mow their lawns. Danielle will be a wonderful pet for any family with her quiet, gentle disposition. She loves loving and has lots of it to give. Danielle’s adoption fee is $25.
I believe the City of Caribou will work diligently with HHPR to help us relocate in an appropriate space and in a reasonable time. My conversations with Steve Wentworth (code enforcement) and Steven Buck (city manager) have been encouraging. I have verbally asked the city to give us unused land to put a building on, or an empty building, structurally sound, that we could renovate to meet the state animal welfare codes which we currently do meet at 11 Pioneer Ave. We could then rightfully become Caribou property tax payers, take stray/lost/abandoned cats, dogs and rabbits and keep the $14,000 state mandated contract money in Caribou that is currently sent to Presque Isle, a win-win situation for all of us especially the animals. We can foresee the possibility of three future part-time jobs in Caribou with continued volunteer support.
The Central Aroostook Humane Shelter (CAHS) is always filled to capacity and that is why so many cats (273 from just Caribou since we opened here) have come to HHPR for help. We do have people sign a paper that they have checked with CAHS and the police before we accept the cat. We are literally the last door for help.
We have $4,511.68 in our future building account. We have worked in my home to save HHPR money so the money could go to medical needs. If we had to pay rent, utilities and payroll now, we could not do as much for these pets. We need to save to “own” our future building in order to maintain our current health program, food pantry and low-income spaying assistance. Our goal is to help each pet with total medical care before adoption.
All our HHPR adult cats are $25 after being given Leukemia/AIDS test, spayed/neutered, all shots, wormed and treated with a 30-day parasite prevention program. Each cat has at least $150 or more of medical care before adoption. We want you to give a home and love to an animal without additional expenses. The kittens are adopted at $50 with a spay/neuter vouchers for when they are old enough for surgery.
It’s a tough economy. The Maine HELP FIX ME Program is out of money. The lack of low-income spay programs is why so many dogs/cats end up in a shelter. We are constantly writing grants to help with the low-income spaying, but because of the economy the competition is huge. Low-income is the main reason so many animals end up in the shelter, especially young litters. When we take a litter of kittens into HHPR, we ask why the momma was not spayed. Our mission is then to spay the mother cat for the family, thereby, stopping breeding from that source. The family is delighted with the help and the animal wins.
We continue to have our “pet of the week” at the Tractor Supply in Presque Isle. Please take your returnable bottles to 88 Bennett Drive Redemption. The collection jars in local businesses are our financial foundation each week. The shopping cart at Paradis’ Shop ‘N Save in Caribou is a real blessing for our Free Pet Food Pantry. We are currently in need of Purina Kitten Chow and bleach at the Rescue.
Please remember that HHPR receives no state or municipal funding. We are totally dependent on our fund-raising events and your kindness. HHPR is a 501c3 non-profit, Maine licensed Animal Rescue 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.
Editor’s note: Norma Milton is president of the Halfway Home Pet Rescue in Caribou.
