Spay And Neuter Association Of Newtown (SNAN)––

Celebrating 23 Years Of Humane Intervention

By Dottie Evans

Volunteers for The Spay and Neuter Association of Newtown, Inc (SNAN) will be joining with hundreds of other nonprofit cat and dog rescue and rehabilitation organizations throughout the country in celebrating a National Spay And Neuter Day on Tuesday, February 22.

“We’re hoping to raise awareness in this town of the important and humane work our members and others undertake every day in trying to reduce the number of unwanted animals in their communities,” said SNAN spokesman Penny Meek.

“We are here to help people with their spay and neuter costs,” Ms Meek said, referring to the group’s 23-year history of providing financial assistance, required shots, and information to pet owners here and in several surrounding towns.

Recognizing that there are more than 15 million homeless or abandoned dogs and cats that are euthanized in this country every year, and that in Connecticut alone there are 70,000 animals in shelters with only one in five finding homes, Newtown’s Spay and Neuter volunteers are determined to address this crisis.

The following statement in SNAN’s membership flyer helps define the organization’s primary goal: The best solution to overpopulation and abandonment of cats and dogs is the reduction of their number through spaying and neutering of both house pets and abandoned strays.

Not all SNAN’s furry clients are abandoned pets, however.

According to Ms Meek, there are several established colonies of feral cats within Newtown that the SNAN volunteers are monitoring. These nondomestic animals are routinely trapped and brought to local veterinarians where they are checked and given necessary shots, then spayed or neutered, with SNAN bearing the costs.

Feral cats that have been bred in the wild and have never lived in a home environment survive best if left in the wild. But for humane reasons, and for the health of the community in which they live, they must be prevented from reproducing.

 

Finding A Home For Tiggerly

Sometimes during trapping activities in a feral cat colony, SNAN volunteers are able to identify a stray or abandoned cat that has wandered into the colony and is attempting to survive there. If trapped or fed by SNAN volunteers, the stray may be brought to local vets and shelters. Adoptive homes are sought after spaying and neutering as necessary.

The following story submitted by SNAN volunteer Roni Neukomm illustrates a frequent scenario where a stray is identified and rescued from a feral cat colony.

There is a feeding site in Newtown that I maintain with a few friends as I have noticed stray cats in the area…One day I noticed a gray tiger kitty coming to the feeding site that was often waiting for me, but hiding just out of reach. It was September and the weather was starting to get cooler so I set out a trap.

Little Tiggerly was taken right away to the Vet to be neutered and given his shots as he was about 5 months old. Then I put him in the cage in the garage and spent time feeding and talking to him every day.

He was very shy but now he is playful and lovable. I have two other male cats and was worried that they would be aggressive toward Tiggerly. But to my surprise, The General (my 20-pound orange male) adopted him like a father to a son. Tiggerly follows him around everywhere and gets playful sometimes when they roll around together on the floor. It is so much fun to watch. His favorite toy is an old sock stuffed with catnip, which he throws around the living room. He chews on it for hours.

Over the last four years, I have trapped over 20 stray cats at this site. All but two have been adopted out to loving homes. The two that were released back to where they were found were too wild to be socialized. They were older adult cats and were put back after being spayed/neutered and given their shots.

Anyone wishing to support Spay and Neuter Association of Newtown, Inc, may send a donation to SNAN at PO Box 352, Newtown CT 06470, or call 426-5730. Membership is $15 per year or $5 a year for senior citizens. More SNAN volunteers are always needed.