Why is it important to help homeless, abandoned, and feral animals?
This cat was rescued near a college campus with a new litter of 5 kittens.
Four million cats and dogs—about one every eight seconds—are put down in U.S. shelters every year. Most of these cats and dogs would have made wonderful pets, but they die simply because they do not have a family to love them. (http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation)
This tragedy is made worse because only 19% of the approximately 77.5 million owned dogs in the United States and only 22% of the approximately 93.6 million owned cats were adopted from an animal shelter. (American Pet Products Manufacturers Assoc [APPMA] 2009-10 Survey).
APPMA reports that there may be as many stray and feral cats as there are owned cats, meaning that over 90 million cats may be living on the streets in the U.S. This is a huge problem because while 90% of cats in households earning $35,000 or more per year are neutered, and 51% of cats in households earning less than this amount are neutered, only 3% of stray and feral cats are neutered. Until we dramatically increase spay/neuter services for lower income families and stray and feral cats, the problems of overpopulation and needless killing in shelters cannot be solved.
This tragedy is made worse because only 19% of the approximately 77.5 million owned dogs in the United States and only 22% of the approximately 93.6 million owned cats were adopted from an animal shelter. (American Pet Products Manufacturers Assoc [APPMA] 2009-10 Survey).
APPMA reports that there may be as many stray and feral cats as there are owned cats, meaning that over 90 million cats may be living on the streets in the U.S. This is a huge problem because while 90% of cats in households earning $35,000 or more per year are neutered, and 51% of cats in households earning less than this amount are neutered, only 3% of stray and feral cats are neutered. Until we dramatically increase spay/neuter services for lower income families and stray and feral cats, the problems of overpopulation and needless killing in shelters cannot be solved.
What can I do to help?
First and foremost, be a responsible pet owner and spay/neuter all your pets!!
Second - When you or someone you know is ready to adopt a new family member, please make adoption from a shelter the first choice. For people who want a purebred dog, the HSUS estimates that 25% of the dogs in shelters are purebred dogs!
Third - Educate yourself and support efforts to educate others about the critical issues of pet overpopulation, and the importance of spaying/neutering and shelter adoptions.
Lastly - Regularly donate and/or volunteer to help community shelters and nonprofit organizations working to improve life for the animals in your community. Many more veterinarians are needed to provide low cost/no cost spay/neuter services and medical care. Volunteers are needed to serve as caretakers for feral cat colonies, to support shelter volunteer efforts, and to raise funds for low cost medical care and spay/neuter efforts.
Second - When you or someone you know is ready to adopt a new family member, please make adoption from a shelter the first choice. For people who want a purebred dog, the HSUS estimates that 25% of the dogs in shelters are purebred dogs!
Third - Educate yourself and support efforts to educate others about the critical issues of pet overpopulation, and the importance of spaying/neutering and shelter adoptions.
Lastly - Regularly donate and/or volunteer to help community shelters and nonprofit organizations working to improve life for the animals in your community. Many more veterinarians are needed to provide low cost/no cost spay/neuter services and medical care. Volunteers are needed to serve as caretakers for feral cat colonies, to support shelter volunteer efforts, and to raise funds for low cost medical care and spay/neuter efforts.
Success Stories of Animals who Found Forever Homes
Jewel was adopted into a family with a dog and a 5 year old child. She is happily integrated into her forever home! 
Jewel and her new friend Romeo sharing a snack.
 This precious dog was found wandering along Blue Grass Parkway and was rescued. When no one responded to the notices for a "found dog" she was adopted into her forever home.
 Discovered alongside the road in a pile of trash when she was approximately 4 weeks old, this kitten was weak, dirty and had blood all over her neck. The volunteers who found her thought she was severely injured and to her to the vet expecting she would need to be humanely euthanized. Happily, she was not seriously injured, despite being starved and infested with fleas. After treatment, she was adopted into her forever home.
 These are pictures of a kitten from a feral cat colony who lost his mother or was abandoned by her and was not accepted by other members of the colony.
 The colony caretakers kept very close watch on this kitten and one weekend when the kitten seemed quite sick, a caretaker trapped the kitten and took him to the vet for treatment. He had a serious respiratory infection and required several weeks of care and supervision. Fortunately, the kitten was young enough to become socialized and was adopted soon after his treatment, as you can see from this picture where he is settled comfortably into his new home!
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This mama cat and her 4 kittens were found abandoned in the yard at an empty rental house. They were trapped rescued, received medical care, and were taken to a foster home for care and placement.
These kittens were quick to learn litter box technique and relaxed into rescued life quite smoothly.
These two brothers were adopted into the same household with a little boy and a talented family member who made them a fancy cat tree!
Mama cat and her kitten "Tuffy" have settled into their forever home! They enjoy the life of an indoor cat with a window view.
 This beautiful cat was fed by a family in Woodford County whose property bordered the fields where he apparently lived. To this family’s great credit, when they moved, they made arrangements for people to relocate him to a new home.
 This cat became homeless as a result of a divorce but was very lucky that the mother, who was unable to take her cat with her when she moved, nevertheless made arrangements for the cat to be adopted into another home so she was never abandoned to wander the streets.
This cat was found in a parking lot area where feral cats often congregate. He had been attacked and seriously injured. Thanks to MADN's support, he was neutered, his wounds treated, recovered in a safe haven, and placed in his forever home.
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Every little bit helps!
Many dedicated organizations and volunteers work every day to try to protect and improve the lives of homeless, abandoned and feral animals. But the need far exceeds current resources. If you have time, energy, ideas or money to help in this important effort, please contact us and we will help match your interests with the work that needs to be done.
ALL contributions make a difference! Click here to Donate Now
ALL contributions make a difference! Click here to Donate Now
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Making a Difference Now, Inc is proud to be a member of GoodGiving.net and the GuideStar network. Check out our portraits today!
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