“The heart of a volunteer is never measured in size but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others” (DeAnn Hollis).    

PAWS TO PONDER by Suzyn Barron, President of Warwick Valley Humane Society

Did you know, Warwick Valley Humane Society began a TNR (trap-neuter-release) endeavor through the passionate and compassionate efforts of volunteers?  These special people devote countless hours in all weather to create managed colonies whereby the cats are spayed and neutered and the injured and ill receive medical attention.  Kittens under the age of 8 weeks are admitted to the shelter.  Although cats are normally solitary creatures, colonies spring up when there is a food source and procreation is rampant, even though the average lifespan of a feral (wild) cat is only 2-3 years and only 25% of kittens survive to reach 6 months of age.

These unsung heroes save the lives of the living and give them a less stressful life thereafter and prevent the suffering of the kittens who would not survive by preventing them from ever being born.  This small group of professionals give their time, energy, and hearts away tackling colonies of multiple cats.  Can you imagine the feeling when you pull up onto a property and 30 plus starving cats surround you?  It is overwhelming and heartbreaking.  But they have a job to do. So, one by one, over a period of several days to several weeks, each cat is humanely trapped, held in as least stressful a place as possible and then transported to and from their surgery appointments where they also receive rabies and distemper vaccinations.  They are then held for three to five days for recovery and finally released back to the area they call home. Those that were once pets and are friendly and seeking human attention can be brought into shelter to be placed up for adoption. The sick and injured obviously require more care and more time to recover.  There are those that are found to be at death’s door, so humane euthanasia is provided. In a recent situation, older kittens were trapped and during their hold time developed panleukopenia, a highly contagious and an often-fatal disease in both young and old cats due to the lack of vaccinations.  Despite heroic efforts, many succumb to the disease in the homes and in the arms of these volunteers. How do they do it?  Their hearts are broken, they cry and they remember that there are others who need their help.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the only humane and effective approach to community cats, or unowned cats who live outdoors.  TNR is a common-sense, cost-effective solution for managing populations of unowned, free-roaming cats (sometimes called stray, feral, or “community or working cats”).  But it comes with a cost. The expenses related to spay-neuter surgeries, vaccinations and other medical care are tangible.  Our For the Feral Fund appreciates donations to the cause.  The cost of mental, physical, and emotional fatigue of these volunteers is immeasurable. A tremendous thank you to our TNR volunteers. Together we are their voice: “homeless doesn’t mean worthless”. 

“The heart of a volunteer is never measured in size but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others”(DeAnn Hollis).