Contests - Friends in the Field

This year, you can help recognize or be recognized in ACA's 2004 Friends in the Field contests. Make a nomination for an Award for Excellence, or if you're a veterinary student, apply for one of our Future Veterinary Professional Scholarships. And for all of you who enjoy snapping photo's of feral cats, enter one, (or five!), into our Feral Foto Contest.

http://www.nationalferalcatday.org/contests.html

Katie

P.S. Scott....I think you should submit for the feral foto contest!!!

Cool! When does the Foto Contest open?

Hmmm, yes, I could do that.

It's kind of scary, but some of our favorite ferals are under threat of being trapped and taken to the local shelter by a neighbor. He seems to have stopped for the moment. I think I would be ashamed to have the photos win some award, only to be powerless to prevent the same cat from being euthanized.

Our "before and after" photos are the most dramatic, but I think our fuffy cats are the most beautiful.

There is also "Midnight," but I don't see him much outside (only at night). In this photo, he's in a cage.

Scott you take such awesome photos. I want a copy of the book you are involved with when it comes out!

Me too Scott!! I would buy at least 2 copies!!

Katie

P.S. Was no one able to help you with the situation with your neighbor??

Re: neighbor situation - not really. Nothing definitive. I know some local caretakers have called or spoken to him, but if it turns out the guy is on a mission, he's on a mission. I was hoping for some national-level or regional-level help (even a phone call).

We have had some controversy issues with our local shelter and a local town supervisor. We don't have our own humane society. I had some conversations with local animal welfare groups about trying to get a policy in place, but it's an chancy deal and I don't want it to backfire.

Basically, part of our area is very liberal, and the rest is conservative. On animal issues, we have a core group of vocal welfare supporters and the rest of the area is either apathetic or conservative. One town supervisor was very pro-control and "pro-kill," even in the face of opposition.

Neighboring areas in NY and NJ have instituted successful TNR or no-kill animal policies, but not until kills took place. I was told that one colony was euthanized before the practice was launched and the caretakers were powerless to stop it. And there are still stories like this in the news:

http://kyw.com/jersey/NJ--CatKilling...rces_news_html

That's not our town (I don't even want to mention our town name), but you get the idea. There is a great deal of tension at times between the county "animal control" contractors, shelters, and the animal welfare groups.

So it's tough and I'm very frustrated. I'm trying to launch a website right now for donations, but I keep debating whether or not having a public site can backfire, even when I don't name the area.

Originally Posted by Scott77777

Click to expand...

OMG Scott! We have a cat who found US, several years ago, who looks rather like this guy, they are both such drop-dead GORGEOUS cats. We have never been able to understand how the one who we have could possibly have been lost and not searched for everywhere by his owner.

I know this may seem upsetting, but, if we CAN'T save the cats themselves, always, what BETTER than to memorialize them in some way? After all, it might make an impact on someone "out there," to see the cats and THEN to learn what may have happened to them. I guess it can be seen as exploitative, but I would not see it that way.

Linda

Originally Posted by Scott77777

So it's tough and I'm very frustrated. I'm trying to launch a website right now for donations, but I keep debating whether or not having a public site can backfire, even when I don't name the area.

Click to expand...

Scott, this IS tough, it is a complex issue, and a lot of people are not equipped to understand complex issues, frankly! But do not think you are all alone or that you are not making progress, even if sometimes it is just ONE mind at a time! Sometimes what we do is to plant a seed, and it's up to others to nurture it into bloom.

Consult a legal adviser before you decide on going public or not. It's sad, but there unfortunately ARE unscrupulous and ignorant people who can cruise the web too. Keep the personal safety of your group and the safety of the cats uppermost in mind. Don't compromise on that!

Yes, certainly. What I would hope happens is that this would generate some outcry of either support (prior to anything happening to the animals) or condemnation (if something did happen to the animals).

I think it's pretty clear that we've been working hard for these cats, reducing the cat population humanely, etc..., and it only takes a few people (or one) to destroy a positive effort.

We have a group that we've been working with, and they've been great, so I will never take credit for this stuff - but it does illustrate what some initiative can accomplish (19 cats later). I started to extrapolate it out, and with 8 healthy females spayed, that's how many? 48 fewer kittens in a year?

Our adoptions (we kept Tiki ourselves, of course):

OMG! Look at Gala's face! What a quizzical and adorable face that is!

Linda - I emptied my inbox.

Lol, Audrey is so cute with that little grin ^^;

Scott...I have my feral cat clinic this weekend...so if you want me to mention the issues to the ACA volunteers there..I will. Just let me know.

Katie

Sure, I'll PM you. I had e-mailed the main ACA people, but I'm always big on sharing information.