Pet of the Week
Happy New Year from all of us at Have a Heart Pet Shelter. This week it’s all about the kitties. Last week’s article mentioned that HAH and Low Cost Spay and Neuter both received generous grants. The grants came from The Arkansas Animal Rescue Foundation. The money from both grants will benefit kittens and cats in our area. Have a Heart Shelter received $4800.00 that will be used to purchase new stainless steel, solid walled cages and a medical grade cabinet for the Cat Quarantine area. This will improve our ability to control contagious diseases of quarantined cats. In the past year the Shelter has taken in 93 cats. Some of these cats have serious contagious diseases that may be deadly and can quickly spread throughout a cattery if not properly contained. We have had three incidents this past year resulting in the spread of disease (Coccidiosis, ringworm and calicivirus), which possibly contributed to the death of one kitten and illness in several more. Concern over the spread of disease has caused us to stop taking in additional cats twice during this past year. Through the generous support of the Arkansas Animal Rescue Foundation, we will greatly improve our ability to care for sick and injured cats.
The Community Cat Project, a Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) Program of the Volunteer Low Cost Spay & Neuter Clinic (which also operates out of Have A Heart Pet Shelter), received $5500.00 to continue to offer $15.00 vouchers to caretakers to sterilize and vaccinate cats in feral and free roaming outdoor cat colonies. This effort is to stop the flood of unwanted kittens and provide the public and cats protection against rabies. Through the assistance of this grant from the Arkansas Animal Rescue Foundation, the Project intends to sterilize more than 250 community cats during 2019. The Community Cat Project has been averaging sterilization of approximately 200 cats per year over the last two years it has been in operation. The volunteers of this program offer guidance in the humane care of community cat colonies (free roaming, unowned, outdoor living cats) and instruction on how to use traps and do TNR. Our volunteers often help with actual trapping, transport and recovery of cats if necessary. The mission of The Arkansas Animal Rescue Foundation is “To protect and enhance the well-being of animals within the State of Arkansas, to train animals to further the welfare of persons with disabilities, and to further the principles of land stewardship and protect environments within Arkansas”. Thanks to this great organization for their generosity.
With the approaching winter weather, Have A Heart has just what you need. Warm CIDER and fuzzy MITTENS! Cider and Mittens are adorable orange tabby brothers who are sure to give you warm fuzzies on those cold nights with their kitten antics. They were part of a quadruplet of all male ginger kittens found without a mom in Cotter and taken in by a good Samaritan. We estimated their DOB at 10/01/18. They are both sweet handsome boys, healthy, outgoing, curious and playful. Either one (or both!) would make a great, lively addition to your loving home. Have a Heart is located at 657 Highway 202 in Yellville. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 9 am to 3 pm. Phone 870-449-7387. For more info on the Community Cat Project phone Rose Hilliard at 870-427-4013.
