Newark Faces Serious Stray Cat Issues

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By Adrea

Annette Cooper carries a caged cat to her car after
Annette Cooper, carrying a stray cat, goes to her car as Katie McCall looks. Each Wednesday, the pair collect feral and stray cats to take to the Licking County Humane Society’s spay and neuter clinics. (Photo: Sara C. Tobias/The Advocate)

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Cat advocates realize Newark is not unique among places that needs help for the stray population. Still, that is not of any comfort when there are so many cats and kittens that are in need.

Two juvenile stray cats inspect a trap baited with
Kittens check out bait trap. (Photo: Sara C. Tobias/The Advocate)

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The Licking County Humane Society has room for 60 cats at their shelter. Presently, there are 70 cats at the location with another 40 in foster care. Executive Director Lori Carlson shared with the Newark Advocate that while in July 76 cats were adopted, another 75 came in. Couple that with the fact the Licking County Animal Shelter no longer accepts cats into their program. The problem there, according to David Shellhouse, Director of Licking County Animal Control, is financial.  The shelter’s funding comes from the dog and kennel fund supported through the county’s dog license sales and dog adoption fees, and, legally, those monies can only be used for the care of dogs.

Annette Cooper inspects a kitten from a litter born
Cooper checks out kitten from stray cat’s litter. (Photo: Sara C. Tobias/The Advocate)

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Annette Cooper, a veterinarian assistant, has been working for 10 years to do what she can to assist with the feral issue.  Every Wednesday, she and Katie McCall trap cats and bring them to the humane society’s low cost spay and neuter clinic on Thursdays. She feels it is something she can personally do to make even the littlest bit of difference, citing seeing strays in horrible condition being brought into the Alexandria Animal Hospital where she works.  It’s a personal T-N-R program, but something about which she and McCall are passionate.

Katie McCall baits a cat trap on Wednesday evening
McCall baits a cat trap on Wednesday evening. (Photo: Sara C. Tobias/The Advocate)

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The Licking County Humane Society does have humane traps people can borrow so they can bring cats in for the clinics.  However, not everyone wants to be hands-on in the same way that are Cooper and McCall.  Carlson shares that cat food donated to the humane society can be given to colony caregivers or money donated to the community cat program will be used to fund the spaying and neutering of homeless cats.

Katie McCall and Annette Cooper load four trapped cat
Trapped cats are transported to the Licking County Humane Society’s spay and neuter clinics. (Photo: Sara C. Tobias/The Advocate)

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Carlson is hopeful some local companies will step up to help.  While it can run between $2,000 and $3,000 for a day for a spay and neuter clinic, upwards of 50 cats could be fixed in a single day with the Humane Society coordinating the logistics and supplying volunteers.

Please visit the Licking County Humane Society website for more information about ways you can help then tackle this serious issue.

Annette Cooper places cat traps on Wednesday evening
Cooper placing cat traps. (Photo: Sara C. Tobias/The Advocate)

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