Trap Amnesty
Calling All Unofficial Traps!
July is Trap Amnesty Month! Now is your chance to drop off any lost, misplaced, abused, not-used traps that were not signed out with no questions asked!
Prizes will be given out to people returning unofficial traps:
1. most traps returned
2. oldest trap
3. raffle for a random trap number
Check your garages, neighbors, friends, & family for traps!
Call Shaye at 352-380-0940 for arrangements. Trouble getting the traps to us? We'll come to you!
No questions asked!!! |
Volunteer
Spotlight
Dr. Jim Castner |
| Dr. Castner has been volunteering with OC for almost a year, helping primarily with setup, cleanup, and trap inventory duties. A UF graduate, his training is in entomology and Spanish. Jim is a freelance writer with a fondness for cats. His self-publishing company is appropriately named Feline Press. He hopes to be able to use his writing skills to draft grants for OC. Around OC clinic times he can usually be found with a mop in his hand.
On behalf of OC
THANK YOU, JIM |
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Have room for
1 more?
We have several displaced nipped ferals that need a new colony. If you have room for 1 more, contact Shaye, the Caregiver & Cat Coordinator at
352-380-0940
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Donate now
If your business would like to donate products or services, please contact:
operationcatnip@
nmhp.net
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Can't volunteer on Catnip Sundays?
How about trapping?
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Every month we are forced to turn away caregivers and their strays because they are unable to transport their cats to the clinic. We always need volunteers who can set traps and transport cats.
If you are available on Friday &/or Saturday evening before a clinic and have transportation, this is the job for you!
For details, contact Shaye at
operationcatnip@
nmhp.net
352-380-0940
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Support OC!
Wear an OC T-shirt!
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Sizes Sm-XXL
$20
Check them out online
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Wish List
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Dish Detergent
Super Glue
AA Batteries
Plastic drop cloth 4mil
Masking Tape
Scissors
Pens/Sharpies
Paper
Office Supplies
Laundry Detergent
Isopropyl alchohol
Hydrogen Peroxide
Medical Supplies
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Urgent!
Volunteers Needed |
| Trap Repair Volunteer needed to fix and label traps. Without these traps, we are losing resources to trap more feral cats for our montly clinics!
Public Relations (PR) volunteer needed to flyer OC advertisements around the community. The more we educate the people, the more support we gain for our cats! |
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Stay updated by visiting
www.NMHP.net
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June 26th, 2009
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Dear Catnip Supporters:
At our monthly clinic for homeless cats on Sunday, June 14th, our
ambitious volunteers spayed, neutered, and vaccinated 272 cats in less than 5 hours!
Here are more clinic stats:
Volunteers
Veterinarians: 13
Dr. Julie Levy-OC Medical Director, Dr. Fred Schirmer, Dr. Cynda Crawford, Dr. Sara Kirk, Dr. Elizabeth Jolin, Dr. Gail Perfect, Dr. Jack Gaskin, and Drs. Nirit Tzipory and Dr. Caleb Hudson (student surgeon supervisors). We also had 2009 graduates, Dr. Megan Busch, Dr. Nicole Kennedy, Dr. Meriam Molstad, and Dr. Tonya Stephens.
Vet students: 24
Other volunteers: 56
Total = 93 volunteers!
We had a limited number of volunteers at this clinic due to the time of year and nature of our college town - thanks to all the volunteers who changed their summer plans in order to help out at OC! A special thanks to Jenna Montgomery,she did a great job at the donations/sales table, and Dr. Tzipory and Dr. Hudson for supervising our skilled student surgeons.
Operation Catnip is NOT POSSIBLE without its dedicated volunteers!
Cats
Males 126= (29% kittens, 3-5mo old)
Females 139= (20% kittens, 3-5mo old)
Ratio of Males:Females = 48:52
Vaccine-Only = 7. These ferals are trapped each year by their caregivers to return for vaccine boosters only.
Total = 265 cats were spayed or neutered, received Revolution to prevent heartworms, fleas, and worms, and were vaccinated against Rabies, Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, and Feline Leukemia Virus!
The first cat was anesthetized at 8:00am on the dot by the Anesthesia Team. The very last surgery was completed by 1:00pm! Our Discharge Volunteers sent cats home from 1:30pm to 5:00pm and the remaining volunteers helped clean the facility until it sparkled.
Thanks to all the volunteers who make these clinics possible!
Lunch was provided in part by generous donations from volunteers. Thank you, Ana Smith, Jimmy Green, Karen Scott, Carissa Southard, and all the anonymous donators for the delicious food!
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There are always volunteer opportunities during the month. To help with tasks such as fundrasing, advertising, trap repairs, or inventory, contact operationcatnip@nmhp.net for more details.
The next opportunity to help out during a clinic is just a few weeks away. Mark your calendars for Sunday, July 12th. You can find all future clinic dates at our website.
Thanks for doing your part in YOUR community!
Shaye Olmstead, Lauren Unger and Patty Dingman
Clinic Coordinators, Operation Catnip
No More Homeless Pets, Inc.
352-258-6757 or 352-380-0940
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**UPDATES **
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Because of the dedication of local veterinary practices that partnered with NMHP, 1,159 pets of low-income families, 313 PitNip pit bull dogs, and 6,425 feral cats will not contribute to pet overpopulation in Alachua County!
We are pleased to announce that NMHP's long-awaited low-cost spay/neuter clinic is expected to begin operations in our temporary home, the Big Fix Rig, by July! Pet owners and feral cat caregivers throughout the region will be able to bring their animals directly to the Big Fix Rig for low-cost sterilization. That will bring and end to the following NMHP-sponsored voucher programs as of May 31st:
-Operation Catnip Outreach
-"Red" Gallenkamp Vouchers
Distribution of all vouchers has ended. The Humane Society's Gallenkamp program will continue to distribute traditional black-printed Gallenkamp vouchers only.
Watch the website for updates!
www.NMHP.net
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| A Special Tribute |
We will miss you,
Kathy Pennenga!
 (Kathy Pennenga receiving an honorary plaque by Dr. Julie Levy)
Kathy will be applying to veterinary school this fall & finishing her MPH. She is a core member of the UF VETS team with certification in confined space & ropes rescue, technical large animal emergency rescue, and incident command systems. She has a passion for non-profit organizations and has already begun building business plans & setting up goals for her own non-profit All-Animal Rescue & Education.
Kathy also has a "mini rescue", with 4 pot bellied pigs, 20 cats (including a "special" kitty that arrested at OC 10 months ago), 3 dogs, 2 horses, 3 birds, 2 rats, 1 guinea pig. All her animals are rescues.
"It's my hope that I left OC a little better than how I found it and that it can continue to grow, educate, and improve the quality of life for feral cats. Every individual's actions count towards something - I say take responsibility for that cat/dog/pig/person that crosses your path, otherwise no one will. Spay and Neuter!"
-Kathy
Don't let her small frame fool you, her shoes will be tough to fill! She will be missed as the volunteer/clinic coordinator, but we hope she will continue to bring forth her compassion and leadership in other roles that play a major part in OC.
On behalf of all OC volunteers and kitties, we thank you, Kathy, and wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors!
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???? 'Nip Trivia ????
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Question:
How many feral cats are estimated to be in
Alachua County?
Answer:
estimated 36,000 cats!!!!!!!!!!!
Last Month's Trivia Question:
What does a cat receive when at the Ear-tip Station? Answer:
They are scanned for a microchip and receive eye lubrication and a dose of penicillin.
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| Thanks to All Our Great Volunteers! |
| Operation Catnip could not run smoothly without our dedicated volunteers. We appreciate all the hard work before, during, and after the clinics.
If interested in volunteering for the July 12th clinic, please contact
We hope to see you there! | |
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