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Feeding outdoor cats? There is help to fix them

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The Community Cat Project is a Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) Program sponsored by the Volunteer Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic. The program’s goal is to sterilize and Rabies vaccinate cats in free roaming outdoor cat colonies. This program has been in existence for just over four years. In 2020, our program sterilized and Rabies vaccinated 296 cats (161 females and 135 males) from five local adjoining counties. The program initially operated in Marion and Baxter counties. During the last quarter we added Boone, Searcy and Newton counties to our TNR assistance area, with those cats primarily being taken to nearby Affordable Veterinary Services in Harrison. In late October, we were greatly pleased to welcome our 4th veterinary partner, Animal Clinic of the Ozarks in Flippin, into our participating clinic roster. Besides funding from our dedicated individual donors and the Volunteer Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic, our CCP program was awarded two significant grants this past year which have substantially funded our efforts. We received a $1,500 grant from the Twin Lakes Giving Tree Foundation in March and a $10,000 grant from the Arkansas Animal Rescue Foundation in June. Three new traps were generously donated this year to add to our free Trap Loan Depot at Have a Heart Shelter. This program provides $15 vouchers to caregivers of free roaming cats so the cats can be sterilized, rabies vaccinated and then returned to their outdoor habitat. The volunteers with this program distribute vouchers, loan free traps, give instruction on how to use traps and offer guidance in the humane care of community cats. Total veterinary costs for the year were $11,396 which averages out to just $38.50 per cat to prevent quite literally thousands of unwanted kittens from being born into a world which sadly has no love or place for them. If you are a caretaker for outdoor cats and would like more information about this program you can contact Rose Hilliard, the program coordinator, at 870-427-4013.

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