A Really Urgent Need!

[Denyce]

I am posting this here rather than in Cat Rescue because more people read the posts here. If anyone can help or suggest anything else it would be appreciated. Thanks!

Denyce

An abandoned house was discovered with up to 100 house cats! This is a tragedy that someone left behind for our community. The CENTRE COUNTY SPCA is involved, but does not have the capacity to serve all cats - most of these animals will go to their deaths. Sad, sad, sad.

Shirley Fonda, Donna Herrmann, and Pat Steigerwald, our local community heroines in animal rescue, managed to negotiate time with the SPCA and have begun a rescue operation of their own. Shirley is reporting that such cats are not feral or wild. They are beautiful, friendly, and mostly young house cats. Shirley wrote to me, "As we drove up, cats came from all over to be fed and hopefully petted. They were BEAUTIFUL cats, probably mostly young ones. In the basement, about 50 young cats sat at the three windows, pawing for us to come and get them". Apparently cats poured out of this house when they realized that someone was coming to help! Shirley reported to me that most of the kitties had desperation in their eyes. Garages have been set up with cage after cage, in hopes of rescuing as many as they can.

Please understand that our local animal welfare organizations do what they can and despite your wonderful donations, they remain limited in resources. Thank goodness for Shirley Fonda (and friends), a community heroin devoted to the rescue and education of animal welfare. She cannot do this alone and needs help.

HOW THE COMMUNITY CAN HELP (you can do ANY of the following)
1. Donate money (for vet care).
2. Donate dry food and clumping litter.
3. Donate your time to helping trap the cats.
4. Provide some foster care relief to this effort
5. Adopt.
6. Pass this message on.

CALL SHIRLEY FONDA AT (814) 238-4758

From the cat's hearts to yours, thank you for caring! I will update this story.....

[Laura's Babies]

Where is this?

[Corinna]

Shes in Pa. so I would assume its close to her.

[Karen]

Who was feeding the cats if they were friendly? Someone must be held responsible. At least the cats are not feral. Part of my brain says "Of course they're young - who knows what sicknesses have gone through that population, any older cats probably wouldn't have survived!"

Very sad.

[Denyce]

It is in Centre County PA. I live in State College so the house is in our area. I don't know the exact address. From what I understand the house was reposessed by the bank. The owners were evicted and when they(bank officials) went into the home these cats were found. The local SPCA is trying to be of some assistance but if you understood the mentality of our SPCA you would be frightened. Besides they just closed down a puppy mill being run by an Amish farmer and took in about 100 dogs. They had to destroy 15 dogs already at the shelter in order to make room for these. That is not the first time that has happened either. So it is left up to just a few extremely overwhelmed individuals here in Centre Co. to take care of all these cats.

This is also coming on the heels of a feral colony having to be removed from a resort here called Toftrees. These same people are dealing with trying to find homes for these ferals they have been taking care of for almost 10 years. It has been a stable colony but the new management of the resort wants them gone. He was going to shoot them but we managed to bring it to the publics attention so he had to go on TV and say he didn't intend on shooting the cats. The cat rescue people here are just really overwhelmed right now and really need help. But then isn't that the case almost everywhere?

Denyce

[emily_the_spoiled]

I have a couple of questions. I went to the Centre County SPCA and there was no mention of anything like this on their website, so I am assuming it has not been updated or they are not publicizing it.

Do the cat rescue people have an organization or are they individuals doing this on their own? If they are doing this on their own can an account be set up a the vet they use and then money can be sent directly to the vet and directed to the care of these cats?

[Denyce]

This particular situation is being dealt with by an individual. She is a woman that has been doing wildlife and cat rescue here in Centre Co for many years. I just phoned and we are going to try and set up something with a vet as soon as possible. I think she uses several vets here in the area.

Ok I am on the phone now and an organization called PAWS here is helping with this situation. They are helping to set up cages in some people's garages as a temporary situation.

The website for PAWS is centrecountypaws.org. Right now they don't have anything on this situation on their website because they just happened. Their physical location is

Centre County PAWS
1042 Benner Pike
State College PA 16803

If you decide to donate for this you MUST specify that it is for the 100 abandoned cats in repossessd house. Otherwise it will go into the regular funds.

Thanks so much

Denyce

[moosmom]

Try PMing Davidp. He works with a cat rescue organization outside of Pittsburgh. Maybe they can help???

I wish I lived closer. I'd be able to at least foster a couple till they found homes.

What a sad situation. :(

[davidpizzica]

Originally posted by moosmom
Try PMing Davidp. He works with a cat rescue organization outside of Pittsburgh. Maybe they can help???

I wish I lived closer. I'd be able to at least foster a couple till they found homes.

What a sad situation. :( Denyce, I'll be volunteering with Cat Sense And I'll tell them about the situation. Between now and then I think that they will know about it. I also wish I were a little closer so that I could help out more!

[doolittleky]

I don't know if this will help or not but here is a list of rescue in PA


Pennsylvania
Adopt-A-Pet
P.O. Box 91
Irwin, PA 15642
Phone: (412) 863 0526
Email: [email protected]

Animal Aid Adoptions
Phone: 503-643-8322

Animals in Distress
(No Kill Shelter)
10 Fashion Drive
Allentown, PA 18103
(610) 264-5554
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 168
Catasauqua, PA 18032
Email: [email protected]

Animal Angels
(No Kill Shelter)
P.O. Box 387
Connellsville, PA 15425

Animal Full Life Rescue, Inc.
908 Ramsey Street
Pittsburg, PA 15221
Phone: (412) 371 7446
Email: [email protected]

Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania
6620 Hamilton Avenue
Pittsburg, PA 15206-4188
Phone: (412) 661 6452
Email: [email protected]

Animal Rescue, INC
Phone: (717) 993-3232

Animal Rescue & Referral
3112 Benjamin Rush Court
Bensalem, PA 19020
Phone: (215) 752 755

Animal Full Life Rescue, Inc.
Pittsburgh, PA

Because You Care
Box 54
Mc Kean, PA 16426
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (814) 866-5039

Cat Rescue
1611 Valley Brooke Court
Wexford, PA 15090-7827

Cats in Need
405 Virginia Avenue
Butler, PA 16001
Phone: (412) 282 0714

CPR for Cats Society
(No Kill Shelter)
3150 W. Ridge Pike
Eagleville, PA 19403-1410
Phone: (570) 539 8001
Fax: (570) 539 8002

Good Mews
(No Kill Shelter - Cats)
P.O. Box 376
Trexlertown, PA 18087-0376
Phone: (610) 791 0134

Meow House
RR 5, Box 170
Williamsport, PA 17701-9661
Phone: (570) 494 0550

Morris Animal Refuge
1242 Lombard Street
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19147-1118
Phone: (215) 735 3256/9570
Fax: (215) 735 6398
Email: [email protected]

Pet Adoption League
(No Kill Shelter)
RD #1 Box 122
Yukon, PA 15698-9801
Phone: (724) 722 3670

PAWSFREE Rescue (Pennsylvania)
PO Box 108
Wexford, PA 15090
Phone/Fax: (724) 774-3764
Contact: Teri Davis
Email: [email protected]

Seven Valleys Area Rescue
Contact: Susan Sullivan
348 Mill St.
Seven Valleys, Pa. 17360
Phone: 717-428-0684
Email: [email protected]

Stray Cat Blues
P.O. Box 106
Sumneytown, PA 18084
Phone: (215) 234 8284

Valley Cat Rescue
(No Kill Shelter - Cats Only)
388 North River Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18703-0242
Phone: (570) 824 4172
Fax: (570) 824 5458

[doolittleky]

one thing that might help is if you get the local news station to do a story on the cats needing help. There are always people that want to help with abandoned animals.
Doo=^..^=

[QueenScoopalot]

Originally posted by doolittleky
one thing that might help is if you get the local news station to do a story on the cats needing help. There are always people that want to help with abandoned animals.
Doo=^..^= That's a great idea, as it seems 'famous' animals have a long line of people wanting to adopt them.:rolleyes: Are there a few different news stations local to you that can be contacted? :confused: You may want to branch out as well, and contact shelters not just in the vicinity, but in other states even. Enlisting volunteer drivers is the tough part though. Keep up posted. ;) The sooner the cats are put up for adoption, the better with the baby boom of Spring coming.

[catmandu]

We have a home,likethat,in Hamilton,and that is awful,when people,try,to rescue More Cats,than they can actually help,and the Cats All Suffer.I have volunteered the Found Cat Hotel,for Foster,until they can be Rehomed.

[lovemyshiba]

I just heard about this today, and I would like to help if you need it. I cannot take any cats (I wish I had a heated garage, then maybe I could take a couple as fosters). Please let me know who the vet or vets are who will be helping these kitties out. I would like to make a donation for that, and also let me know if any of these wonderful rescuers need any supplies--unfortunately that is probably all I can do right now.
The animal situation here is disgusting right now. First the ferals in Toftrees, that Mr. S wanted to destroy because they would disrupt the "image" of his perfect resort, then the byb shutting down and the SPCA taking the dogs and now this.......


About the Centre County SPCA website--it hasn't been updated in a long time--the pictures of dogs and cats on there have been there for at least 6 months, and I don't think they update anything else much either.

[rosethecopycat]

I know they are all deserving cats, and I pray that they all are rescued, but

Are there any Siamese in the group?

Virginia Siamese Rescue may be able to help with them.

PA is a little north for the VA center, but there is a network of transporters available.

Contact:
siameserescue.org

VA center

Siri, director

[emily_the_spoiled]

Do you have an update on the vets that are being used so we can make a donation?

[Denyce]

I just got off the phone with Donna and she set it up with her vet.

The name of the clinic is

All Creatures Veterinary Clinic
2780 Earlystown Road
Centre Hall PA 16828

814-364-2040

This vet is going to do all the vet care for these cats AT COST and at the place the cats are being housed. But it will still cost probably 1000 to 1500 for just the basic care. I am sure that any amount would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much!

Denyce

Ooopss....also please mark the check either for the 100 cats or Donna Herrmann account. They will also take Visa or Mastercard.

[Denyce]

Good News this morning in that this story was on our local CBS which has the largest audience and most frequent broadcasts of all our local stations.

Bad news is that only 2 cats have been adopted so far. Also I emailed over 10 shelters here in PA and so far have only received one reply. That unfortunately was a no.

We are hoping for a really big weekend and I will keep everyone updated.

Denyce

[emily_the_spoiled]

Although I can't really adopt another cat I did phone and make a donation to the vet's office this morning. They were very helpful and glad to receive the money.

Now we just have to get all the other kitties adopted!!!

[QueenScoopalot]

Have you considered going onto Yahoo Groups, and seeing about placing some that way? There's so many groups out there, including transportation (mainly for dogs though). Finding someone to check out prospective adopters may be tough a well, but the news should be circulated as much as possible to facilitate adoptions. That's so sad that only 2 people stepped forward to adopt. Things would change dramatically if the house was on fire, and the cats were all rescued...then the line for adoptions would be deep. How can any of us forget Charlotte from N.Y pulling her kittens from the burning building. :confused: ;)

[Denyce]

thank you so much Emily. I am sure they were very grateful for the donation and I know I am.

I don't know anything about the Yahoo groups. Could you direct me in the right direction? Is there something in particular I should do a search under?

Denyce

[QueenScoopalot]

I did a quick search, and found a number of cat/rescue related groups. http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=cat%2Frescue&submit=Search I'm not exactly sure which catagory you should try looking into, but it's a start.