Feral Fixers logo
Practicing and promoting Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) in DuPage County, Illinois

We're a 501c3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting and practicing Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) in DuPage County, Illinois. We believe that TNR is the only effective, humane and long-term solution to the problem of cat overpopulation.
The Feral Fixers e-Newsletter - Issue #12 - October  2009
In This Issue
Help us buy more traps!
Message from the President
Want to Help?
9 communities - 10 cats
Jewel Shop & Share is back!
How many cats? 1,336 !!
Donate to Feral Fixers
Feral Fixers celebrates the 2009 National Feral Cat Day by fixing more cats!
Calendar of Upcoming Events
Photos from the 2009 Barkapalooza and Pet Lovers Showcase events now posted on our Photo Gallery
Shop for Feral Fixers
What is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)?
Dear Friend,

We're sorry that this month's issue of our e-Newsletter is so late - it's been a very busy month.  Among other things, we've appeared at the Pet Lover's Showcase, we've celebrated National Feral Cat Day (by TNR'ing more cats, of course!) and, as you can see, we've changed the format of our newsletter.

Oh, and we've TNR'ed over 100 more cats this month too...

In this issue, you can learn how you can help Feral Fixers purchase more traps, read the monthly report from our President as she reviews our first two years and see how we celebrated the 2009 National Feral Cat Day.  Jewel Shop-n-Share is back too!

Thank you for all of your support!
 
Sincerely,
 

Feral Fixers
Tomahawk 606 trapHelp us buy more traps!

Feral Fixers has had over 1,300 cats spayed / neutered since its inception a little more than two years ago. Our number one equipment need is more traps. Our stockpile of 50+ traps is in constant use and managing who gets these traps and how long they can keep them is a major logistical headache for us. If we can purchase some more traps we can TNR even more cats than we do today.

Our favorite traps are made by Tomahawk.  Our preferred model for trapping is the Model 608 (we often use a different one for transport), priced at $80. Our goal is to raise $800 by the end of this month so that we can purchase 10 more of these traps. If we can succeed in raising this money, it will greatly help us increase our efforts in DuPage County.

ChipIn ButtonPlease help us help the cats by "Chipping In". All you have to do is click the "ChipIn!" button. This will allow you to donate to the Feral Fixers Trap Fund using PayPal.
 
Thank you!
 
Message from the President

Two Years!

It has been two whole years since Feral Fixers has been incorporated!

So much has happened!

We have spayed/neutered over 1200 cats in this time, mostly feral, some friendly. We have assisted caretakers from Aurora to Berkeley, from Elk Grove Village to Darien. We have seen our numbers go from being ecstatic at having done 30 cats in a month, to doing 80 or more during most months.

We have made great contacts that will support us from this point on - shelters, police departments, politicians, businesses and all the caretakers who care so much for their feral cats.

When we first started, we had to explain over and over just what TNR was. Now the question is where and when! The public already knows what TNR is, and want to get on to doing it! And it is so great to hear, "oh, yes, I already did my outside cats, they are so happy!

Before Feral Fixers, it was just me, thru word of mouth people heard that I did TNR and I was plenty busy, felt I was changing the world, a few cats here and there. Now, with the help of Feral Fixers' volunteers and the backing of a solid 501(c)3, so much more can be done and we really are changing the world for cats! We are still mostly word of mouth. We have our business cards sprinkled around and we do events, but we cannot advertise - we are overwhelmed with calls right now, I could not even imagine the volume from actual advertising.

We have many roadblocks, now and coming in the future. The growing need as more people contact us could bring us to the point where a great many organizations go belly-up and we need your help to keep that from happening.

Read more...
 
Feral Fixers Logo Want to help?

Interested in helping Feral Fixers?  We are looking for a 'few good volunteers'!  Specifically, we're looking for someone to help us transport cats to and from PAWS (the Spay/Neuter clinic we use) in Chicago.  We need transport both in the morning and the afternoon.  If you're interested in helping, call us at
(630) 881-FXRS (3977) or email us at [email protected].
 
Feral Fixers Logo Nine communities - Ten cats

Earlier in the month, Feral Fixers took in 10 cats to the PAWS-Chicago Spay/Neuter clinic to be fixed. Normally when we take in a group of cats, there are 2-3 locations they come from, sometimes more, sometimes less. This day, however, we had a group which was very representative of DuPage County. These 10 cats came from 9 communities, 1 cat each from Lisle, Wheaton, West Chicago, Bensenville, Streamwood, Schaumburg, Hanover Park, Des Plaines, and 2 from Lombard.

Quite a selection!

And why is this significant?  It signifies the cooperation of numerous volunteers and the collaboration between colony caregivers and Feral Fixers to ensure the maximum number of cats per trip to PAWS and to ensure each cat within a colony is TNR'd.
 
Shop And Share Button Jewel Shop & Share is back!

Yes, the Shop & Share program is back!  Last year, Feral Fixers received over $230.00 from this program and this year we'd like to do better.

If you click on the Shop&Share button, you'll be able to download coupons good for November 16, 17 and 18 of this year.  Just bring one of these coupons to any Jewel-Osco on one of those three dates.  Sign it and give it to the cashier when you pay for your groceries and they will fill in the amount of your purchase that day.  Jewel-Osco will then donate 5% of your total purchase amount to Feral Fixers - it's that simple!  And don't forget to make copies of these coupons and send them to your friends so they can support us too - thank you!
 
Feral Fixers Logo How many cats? - 1,336 !!

Feral Fixers was founded in September of 2007.  In that first year, Feral Fixers had 86 cats spayed / neutered.  In 2008, Feral Fixers had 525 cats spayed / neutered.  And, so far in 2009, Feral Fixers has had 725 cats spayed / neutered.

This brings us to a total of 1,336 cats.  Clicking on the charts in the upper right-hand corner of this article will send you to the Feral Fixers 'Statistics' page where you can see our progress, month-by-month, since we've started work.
 
PayPal Donation Donate to Feral Fixers

Feral Fixers offers its TNR services to all colony caretakers, without charge.  While we ask for donations from colony caretakers, we recognize that for some of them, any additional cost is just too much.  Therefore we rely on donations from other individuals to make up the difference and allow us to continue our work.  These donations allow us to spay/neuter additional cats, keep a 'bank' of traps and trap dividers we loan out for free, hold workshops and provide other educational benefits.

You can help us continue our work by clicking on the Donate button, above.  This will take you to the PayPal website where you can donate to Feral Fixers via PayPal or credit card.  Feral Fixers is a registered 501c3 charitable organization and all donations are deductible to the fullest amount allowed by law.

We greatly appreciate any amount you can afford to give - Thank You!
 
Six cats in traps Feral Fixers celebrates the 2009 National Feral Cat Day by fixing more cats!

October 16, 2009 was National Feral Cat Day. This is a celebration started in 2001 by Alley Cat Allies to honor feral cats. They picked this particular day, October 16th, as this was the day they were officially incorporated. Since then, this celebration has been picked up by TNR groups and allies all over the country.

Feral Fixers celebrated this holiday in its usual manner - by fixing more cats!

Normally, we take our cats to the PAWS-Chicago Spay/Neuter Clinic to be fixed, but October 16th was a Friday and PAWS is normally closed on Fridays. So, we decided instead to take advantage of the Free Spay/Neuter package offered for feral cats by the Tree House Humane Society and brought in six cats to their facility. Thank you Tree House - what a wonderful way to honor Feral Cat Day!

(If you click on the picture thumbnail, you will be able to see a larger version of the picture)
 
Feral Fixers Logo Calendar of Upcoming Events

January 17, 2010
- We will host our second annual Frosty Claws fundraiser. Everyone had a great time at our first Frosty Claws - make sure your calendars are marked for this day! More details will be posted when they are available.
 
2009 Barkpalooza Photos from the 2009 Barkapalooza and Pet Lovers Showcase events now posted on our Photo Gallery

Over the past few weeks, Feral Fixers has hosted booths at both the Barkapalooza (held in Downers Grove) and the Pet Lovers Showcase (held in Wood Dale) events.  We hope you have been able to make at least one of these events - they're so much fun!  We generally have a non-stop stream of people coming by, either to ask about Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) or to tell us about 'their' outdoor cats (or, more often, their neighbor's outdoor cats).

2009 Pet Lovers ShowcaseWe pass out business cards and literature and do our best to educate everyone as to the benefits of TNR.  Many people also buy some of the catnip-knots we sell as well as give us donations - every dollar helps!

With winter coming, there won't be any more of these types of outdoor events until next year.  When they do start up, please come out and say hello - we're sure you'll have a great time!

(Click on either of these picture thumbnails to see a larger version of the picture.  The Feral Fixers photo album can be accessed by clicking here)
 
Feral Fixers Logo Shop for Feral Fixers

Want to purchase something purr-fect for your cat-lover friends and help out Feral Fixers at the same time?  Just visit our CafĂ© Press store and Buy Something! In addition to the pet food bowl shown to the right, we have T-shirts, hoodies, coffee mugs, tote-bags, etc. A portion of each sale goes to help us in our TNR efforts. To visit the store, just click on the pet food bowl, above, or visit our website and click on the 'Buy Something' button at the top - Thank you!

World Wide Web Visit us on the Web

Visit our website at www.feralfixers.org.  There you can donate to us (via PayPal or Credit card), visit our store, read the latest news, and learn more about Feral cats.  If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, you can also sign up to be on our mailing list so you don't miss a thing!
 
Ear tipped cat What is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)?

TNR is a full management plan in which stray and feral cats already living outdoors in cities, towns, and rural areas are humanely trapped, evaluated, vaccinated, and sterilized by veterinarians. When space is available, adoptable cats and kittens are transferred to sheltering organizations to be adopted into good homes. Healthy adult cats unsocialized to humans are returned to their familiar habitat under the lifelong care of their original caretakers.
 
Feral Fixers, NFP, is a certified 501c3 corporation - EIN Number 13-4364615