Taking the Loews Road

Claiming to be the "pet-friendliest", luxury hotel hires pest control to remove its longtime colonies

April 12, 2012

For years Shadow, a soft gray tabby, and her colony mates lived peacefully on the grounds of one of Loews resort hotels in Orlando. They were fixed, eartipped, vaccinated and well-fed by devoted caretakers. Loews even provided feeding stations designed to mimic the graceful architecture of their Royal Pacific and Portofino Bay hotels. That all ended late last month when the luxury chain, which is fond of chanting "Loews Loves Pets" in its ads, forbade feeding cats on its properties as their hired pest control company began trapping. Shadow was one of the cats injured, suffering a gash on her head as she and others were transported to animal control. 

Exactly why Loews went from benevolent host of a model TNR program to eradicator of healthy cats is unclear. Their official statement cites concern for the health and safety of hotel guests and staff despite there being no instances of illness or injury caused by a cat there. The trapping of the two small colonies at the Royal Pacific and Portifino Bay hotels continues and there is ample evidence that cats are suffering in the process.

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Recommended Reading: "Vox Felina" and "In Dog We Trust"

Let two of the best blogs going keep you up-to-date on TNR + other animal news

April 4, 2012

Read any good blogs lately? If you haven't, you will when you check out two of Neighborhood Cats' favorites: Vox Felina and In Dog We Trust.

For feral cat advocates, Vox Felina is invaluable for its critical analysis of distorted scientific "findings" made by those opposed to free-roaming cats and TNR.  In Dog We Trust combines a sort of "Shame on You" expose aimed at uncaring policy makers with assorted news items and bright ideas. Distinctive and packed with info, both are must-read blogs.

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New Webinars from the PetSmart Charities EDUcation Team

Watch and learn to strengthen your animal welfare efforts

April 3, 2012

This April PetSmart Charities is offering a series of new animal-focused webinars. The Future of Animal Sheltering features emerging trends in shelter design.  How People Really Think: A Guide to Unleashing Generosity can help you better connect with your supporters so you can meet - and surpass - your fundraising goals.  Other topics in the series are Parvo and Distemper and Becoming a 501(c)(3) Organization.

Partcipation for all webinars is free but advance registratiion is required.

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Happy Mother's Spay! - coming Friday, May 11

Neighborhood Cats, The Toby Project & Ferals in Peril team up to fix ferals in NYC!

March 27, 2012

Just in time for Mother's Day, The Toby Project,  Ferals in Peril and Neighborhood Cats bring you Happy Mothers Spay! It's a special day of free spay/neuter for ferals, so that even more cats in our community don't become moms (or dads!).

How does it work? Twenty-five feral cats will be spayed and neutered at Ferals in Peril's Brooklyn clinic, costs underwritten by Neighborhood Cats. Happy Mothers Spay! slots are available to NYC TNR-certified caretakers by appointment only. To reserve a spay/neuter appointment please contact Peter Szalaiko at (347) 816-2899.

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"Feral Cats & TNR 101" by Neighborhood Cats

New webinar from PetSmart Charities offers intro to feral cat care

March 22, 2012

It's estimated that tens of millions of feral and stray cats freely roam the streets of the United States and breed rapidly. What to do? Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the only method shown to be humane and effective in controlling free-roaming cat population growth.

Join Neighborhood Cats' Meredith Weiss and Lois McClurg and the PetSmart Charities EDUcation Team on Tuesday, March 27 at 3:00 pm (EST) for a 20-minute, fact-filled virtual brown-bag about feral cats and TNR. This webinar is intended for people with very little or no knowledge about ferals and Trap-Neuter-Return.

Space is limited for this online presentation so sign up soon! To register click here.

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ChipIn to Save Cotton Ball!

A little gift will go a long way to heal a special cat

March 17, 2012

On the day he was rescued Cotton Ball didn't look like a cotton ball. He was soiled, matted, rail thin and wet, exhausted by fear and the need to defend himself against other cats in the alley where he'd wandered after someone abandoned him. "How did this happen to me?" was written all over his pinched little face. He was visibly relieved to be picked up and taken indoors but at the vet's office there was bad news: a diagnosis of a severe bacterial infection.

Cotton Ball is responding well to treatment but his medical expenses are mounting. We've set up a ChipIn page so friends can help us get this big guy back on his paws.

UPDATE! Cotton Ball is getting better! He has a ways to go but with your help he's improving every day. Read on to see what he looks like now!

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Funding Available for Free-Roaming Cat Spay/Neuter - Apply Now!

PetSmart Charities now accepting online applications for winter/spring 2012

March 7, 2012

PetSmart Charities is now accepting Free-Roaming Cat Spay/Neuter grant applications for its winter-spring 2012 grant cycle. These grants are intended to provide funding and mentoring for high-impact Trap-Neuter-Return projects. The goal is to stabilize and ultimately reduce the free-roaming cat population within a specific geographic area. Applications may be submitted through 3/31/12, no later than midnight within your time zone. For more information and to access the online application please click here.

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Update: Virginia SB 359

TNR bill tabled by state Senate

March 2, 2012

Senate Bill 359, sponsored by Virginia Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, was an important piece of legislation which had the potential to greatly further Trap-Neuter-Return programs in the state. If passed, the legislation would have eliminated the possibility of those participating in TNR programs from being charged with abandonment, a threat which overhangs them now.

UPDATE! SB 359 went before the House Ag Sub-Committee on Monday, 2/27. A voice vote resulted in "tabling" of the bill, effectively killing it for this legislative session.

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A05449A's "Quick Kill" Provision - Dead or Alive?

New concerns over sponsor Amy Paulin's promise to remove dangerous clause from bill

February 29, 2012

The New York State Assembly Agriculture Committee has passed A05449A, a bill that makes it much easier for shelters to euthanize cats suspected of being feral by allowing any animal deemed in "psychological pain" to be put down without a hold period. The bill also fails to clarify the right of animal welfare organizations to practice TNR in New York State.

The bill has been sent to the Assembly Codes Committee. In its present form it has the potential to threaten innumerable lives, and we will continue working to stop its passage into law. You can help! Please contact members of the Codes Committee, and your District Assemblymember and urge them to oppose "Quick Kill" bill A05449A.

UPDATE! In response to a massive public outcry, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, sponsor of A05449A agreed on 2/23 to remove the clause allowing shelters to euthanize animals due to "psychological pain." To read the NY Times article about this development please click here.

Despite assurances, the bill has not been amended. The deadly clause remains intact - thereby posing dire threat to the life of every feral entering a shelter in NY State.

Assemblywoman Paulin is now planning an online discussion to promote the bill (discussion originally scheduled for 2/28; new time/date tba). The goal of the bill's sponsors is to force a vote on the Assembly floor. Action is urgently needed to stop A05449A! Please contact the bill's remaining sponsors and ask them to withdraw their support of this cruel legislation.

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Don't Miss These TNR Webinars!

Watch + learn to strengthen your trap-neuter-return efforts

February 29, 2012

Whether you're new to TNR or a seasoned pro, the webinars in this series can help you work more effectively to manage free-roaming cats. Each webinar offers clear, practical guidance to assist you in establishing your program as an integral part of the community. Topics include: Building a Community TNR Program 101, Building a Community TNR Program - Advanced, Feral Cats, TNR and the Law and Fundraising for TNR Programs. The webinar series was created by Neighborhood Cats founder Bryan Kortis and is hosted by PetSmart Charities. 

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Virginia Residents: Support SB 359

Call to help TNR bill pass state Senate

February 23, 2012

Senate Bill 359, sponsored by Virginia Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, is an important piece of legislation which furthers Trap-Neuter-Return programs in the state. If passed, the legislation will eliminate the possibility of those participating in TNR programs from being charged with abandonment under state law, a threat which overhangs them now.

UPDATE! Following a postponement, the bill will be heard by the House Ag Sub-Committee on Monday, 2/27. Virginia residents ONLY - please email the delegate in your jurisdiction and urge  their support of SB359.

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Update: NY State Assembly Bill A05449A

ASPCA says "psychological pain" clause should be amended

February 22, 2012

The bill has been sent to the Assembly Codes Committee. In its present form it has the potential to threaten innumerable lives, and we will continue working to stop its passage into law. You can help! Please contact members of the Codes Committee, and your District Assemblymember and urge them to oppose "Quick Kill" bill A05449A.

UPDATE!  ASPCA, as quoted in the NY Daily News, says provision allowing immediate euthanasia of animals based on "psychological pain" should be amended (click here for article).

UPDATE! Although the Chair of the Codes Committee, Joseph R. Lentol has voiced concerns about the bill and stated he does not intend to send it to the floor at this time, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has the power to overrule this decision. NY STATE RESIDENTS - please help stop A05449A by contacting the Speaker and asking him not to allow the bill to reach the Assmbly floor. 

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High-Volume Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Under Attack in Alabama

Support urgently needed for HB#156 to help non-profit clinics survive

February 21, 2012

In 2008 Alabama Spay/Neuter began providing quality low-cost high-volume s/n for cats and dogs, servicing 13 counties in the central part of the state. The non-proft clinic fixes ferals and pets belonging to low-income owners with no other way to access this care. In its first three years of operation Alabama Spay/Neuter has sterilized more than 33,000 animals. Since June 2011 it has been under attack by the Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (ASBVME) which views such clinics as competition.

Alabama Spay/Neuter's survival is threatened and they are looking to the passage of the Spay/Neuter Clinic Protection Act, HB #156 to save them. In the coming weeks the bill will be introduced to the 2012 session of the Alabama legislature. A show of support is urgently needed to ensure its passage.

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Action Alert! New York State Assembly Bill Threatens Feral Cats

Emails needed now re: A05449A

February 14, 2012

Tomorrow, February 15, the New York State Assembly's Committee on Agriculture is set to vote on a bill (A05449A) that would make it much easier for shelters to euthanize cats suspected of being feral and that fails to clarify the right of animal welfare organizations to practice TNR in NY.  If the Committee on Agriculture approves the bill, it will go to the full Assembly for a vote and be one step closer to becoming law.

We urge you to act immediately and voice your opposition.


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Stop the Killing in Ukraine

Government orders mass murder of strays in a bid to beautify the streets for soccer tournament

February 9, 2012

Over the past months tens of thousands of strays have been brutally killed in the Ukraine. Why? This June the country is hosting the Euro 2012 Football Tournament and unwanted cats and dogs are being eliminated in an attempt to "beautify" its cities before the cameras move in.

Public outrage is mounting and progress is being made against the atrocity. Ukraine has now agreed to allow a German organization, Vier Pfoten (Four Paws) to begin a mass sterlization effort in four cities where matches will be played. However, the slaughter has not been halted. More action is urgently needed. 

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Free Rabies Vaccines for Ferals in NYC!

Neighborhood Cats offers extra help for caretakers during National Spay/Neuter Awareness Month

February 3, 2012

February is National Spay/Neuter Awareness Month. All across the country efforts are underway to educate people about the many benefits of spay/neuter and to encourage them to do the right thing by getting their furry friends fixed.

At Neighborhood Cats we're celebrating National Spay/Neuter Awareness Month too! Working in cooperation with Ferals In Peril, Park Slope Veterinary Center and The Toby Project we'll be offering free rabies vaccines for ferals brought in by TNR certified individuals through 2/29/12. 

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Save Lives with the Cat Daddy!

Neighborhood Cats is named a recipient of donations from Animal Planet star's new book

February 2, 2012

He may not be what you'd expect as far as cat experts go - the New York Times recently noted he "looks like a Hell's Angel" - but nobody knows what makes cats tick better than Jackson Galaxy, aka "Cat Daddy". Now the rising star of Animal Planet's My Cat From Hell has a new book, due out this May. Cat Daddy shares Galaxy's unlikey story, starting with his days as a down-and-out rock musician, and focuses on his 13-year relationship with an incredible cat named Benny.

Part poignant memoir, part cat care tome, right now Cat Daddy can also  help save cats' lives. $1 from each copy pre-ordered before 5/10/12 will be donated by Tarcher-Penguin Books to care for homeless cats!

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New Grant Program from Best Friends Supports Targeted TNR

Grassroots groups eligible for funding from Lifesaving Grants

January 27, 2012

Best Friends Animal Society has announced a new funding program, Lifesaving Grants, to provide financial support for organizations with $500,000 or less in annual revenue. Grants ranging from $1,000 - $10,000 are available in four categories including spay/neuter projects for free-roaming community cats. 

Applicants must be pre-registered Best Friends No More Homeless Pets Network partners. There will be four grant cycles this year. The application deadline for the first cycle is February 27, 2012.

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Neighborhood Cats' Proposed TNR Regulations for New York City

Government regulation is approaching - act now!

January 19, 2012

It may be only a few short months before the landscape in NYC dramatically changes for the practice of Trap-Neuter-Return. Soon the NYC Department of Health (DOH) will be issuing regulations that will control our work. 

Neighborhood Cats believes it is crucial the TNR community have substantial input into what these regulations are before they are sent to DOH.  No one knows better than those who work directly with the cats and their caretakers what makes sense, and, conversely, what would prove burdensome and detrimental to the practice of TNR. To advance the discussion we have drafted our own proposed set of TNR regulations.  We ask all who are interested in the future of TNR in New York City to read and consider them carefully.      

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Purrs from Jackie

Thanks to everyone who ChippedIn to save his life!

January 17, 2012

Jackie, a friendly eartipped cat was living on the Brooklyn streets when he was hit by a car. He was found in dire shape, dazed and bleeding from his eye and nose. Jackie needed emergency veterinary care to save his life so NeighborhoodCats turned to the community for help, posting his story on ChipIn.

UPDATE: Friends from around the country and around the world responded to Jackie's plight with generous donations (and heartfelt good wishes!) and we were able to raise the funds needed for his extensive medical care. Thanks to you Jackie is making excellent progress and is now ready to be adopted or placed in a loving foster home.   

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Show Us the Love

Announcing Neighborhood Cats' 1st Valentine's Day cat photo contest

January 17, 2012

Valentine's Day is nearly here and to celebrate, we're seeking great images of cats in love! Are there two kitties in your colony who are always side-by-side? Are your 2-lb. kitten and 200-lb. St. Bernard a pair of furry BFFs? When you fall asleep at night does Felix flop adoringly over your head so the sound of his purr is the last thing you hear?

Affection, courtship, tenderness and humor know no boundaries so wherever and whoever Cupid's arrows strike  -  take your best shot and Show Us the Love!

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New Webinar from PetSmart Charities

Watch + learn to strengthen your animal welfare efforts

January 16, 2012

This February PetSmart Charities, in cooperation with the Central Oklahoma Humane Society is offering a new webinar, Mega Adoption Event Mentoring. If your adoption program is considering an Adopt-a-Thon or other large-scale event, here's the info you need for success.

The webinar will be offered on February 1, 8 & 15. Participation is free but advance registration is required.

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Caretaker Training Comes to Long Island!

Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter to host Neighborhood Cats TNR Workshop 3/12

January 6, 2012

In October 2011 Neighborhood Cats, hosted by the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter, presented our first-ever Caretaker Training Workshop on Long Island. More than 30 participants from Suffolk and Nassau counties attended the 1/2-day session and earned TNR certification.

Now we're doing it again! On Saturday March 3 in Hempstead our expert instructors will offer caretaker training, covering all the essentials of Trap-Neuter-Return. Successful completion of the workshop earns TNR certification, and attendees will receive resource guides to local free and low-cost trap-neuter-return related services. Attendance is free but space is limited and advance registration is required. 

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