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 #31 - June 2011
In This Issue
Letter From The President
Want to Help?
Donate to Feral Fixers
How many cats? 2,839 !!
Calendar of Upcoming Events
Other ways to help
Kittens, kittens and more kittens
Shop for Feral Fixers
Visit us on the Web
What is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)?
About us
Dear Friend,

It now finally appears to be summer - the days are warm and often humid.  Trapping of feral cats continues apace.  Every cat spayed/neutered now is one less that will add to the burden of pet overpopulation.

In this months Letter from the President, Tammy discusses the cats we come across that need more than "just" a spay/neuter; cats that have wounds or injuries and that we just cannot turn our back upon.

In addition, you can also read about how you can help us in our efforts in practicing and promoting Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), find out how many cats we have had fixed so far and use our calendar of Upcoming Events to plan on when you might be able to come out and see us.

Thank you for all of your continued support!

Sincerely,


Feral Fixers
Letter From The President

As If They Were Our Own

2800+ cats is a big responsibility.  That's how many cats we have s/n and have our microchip in them.  That makes me feel that we are ultimately responsible for them to the best of our ability.

When one is injured, we do our best to get it medical attention.

When one has been adopted thru a caretaker and then surrendered to Animal Control because the adopters are moving to somewhere that doesn't take cats, I feel we have to help this cat find a new home.

When a caretaker does TNR and then "doesn't want the cat around anymore" and takes it to Animal Control, even tho it's a friendly cat and would do well inside, I feel we need to help the cat.

Our fundraiser "As If They Were Our Own" came just in time.  It has done really well and we are tremendously grateful!!!

Lisa, the cat who had her leg removed is now in a very happy home, well loved by her new mom.  Willow, a cat that had an enormous abscess on his paw, is bouncing around his foster home without a care in the world, completely healed.  Beau, the cat who needed the echo, may go to a home that adopted his siblings earlier in the year, in the meantime he is being quite the character in his foster home.

Since these cats, we've had broken legs, broken feet, eye removals, you name it!  But, please don't, we don't want even more to show up!

Your donations make the care of these cats possible and we can't thank you enough!

 

Help Wanted signWant 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 info@feralfixers.org.
PayPal DonationDonate 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!
How many cats? - 2,839 !! Statistics graphic

Feral Fixers was founded in September of 2007. In that abbreviated first year, Feral Fixers had 86 cats spayed / neutered. In 2008, Feral Fixers had 525 cats spayed / neutered and in 2009, Feral Fixers had 868 cats spayed / neutered. In 2010, Feral Fixers had 1,002 cats spayed / neutered!  This year, Feral Fixers has had 358 cats spayed/neutered so far.

This brings us to a total of 2,839 cats. Clicking on the abacus will send you to the Feral Fixers 'Statistics' page where you can see our progress, month-by-month, since we've started work.
Calendar graphicCalendar of Upcoming Events
 
July 3rd, 2011 - Feral Fixers will have a float in the Bensenville Independence Day Parade, kicking off at 2:00pm from the Bensenville Towne Center located at the intersection of Green & Center Streets in Bensenville. Information about the parade route will be available from the City of Bensenville website. We'd love to have you come to the parade and show your support for Feral Fixers and TNR!

September 25th, 2011 - Feral Fixers will again host a booth at the West Suburban Humane Society's annual Barkapalooza. This will be the fifth time we've been at this event and it's always a wonderful time. Even though this is a "dog-themed" event, many people are interested in who we are and what we do and we have received much support from attendees. Unlike previous years, this year's event will be held in Lisle at the Lisle Community Park. Details can be found on the West Suburban Humane Society's webpage. Please come out and visit us - I'm sure you'll have a great time!
Other ways to help Feral Fixers

GFS LogoYou can help Feral Fixers by simply shopping at Gordon Food Services (GFS) and mentioning our name during checkout.  If you shop at GFS, when they ask if your purchase is for a business or charity, all you have to do is say Feral Fixers - you don't need a card or anything and a percentage of your purchase goes to FF at the end of the year.  Feral Fixers is on file, they just type it in and that is all you have to do.  Pass the info on to anyone you know who shops there, anyone can help us raise funds in this way with no added expense!
 
GFS has some great and convenient products - check out what they have to offer!
 
It's like a warehouse club without the membership fee and they have similar large packaging and prices.  And if you don't see something in the store, look online and you can order it for pickup at the store, and Feral Fixers still benefits!

Thank you Gordon Food Services!
Mom and Kittens Kittens, kittens and more kittens...

Feral Fixers continues to be inundated with calls about "I found some kittens - can you take them for me?"  Even though we are not a shelter, we still get these calls.

The situation is simple; there are just too many kittens and it's overwhelming the shelters and the fosters.  It's SO important to 'TNR that mom' BEFORE she has her next litter.  We're now in the position of usually having to ask people who call about this to 'step up' and socialize and foster these kittens on their own.

And, if everyone who is thinking of adopting a kitten or a cat would adopt TWO of them, rather than just one, this could make a significant dent in the problem.  It's better for the cats anyway, to have some companionship when their owner / caretaker is not home.  It's OK to adopt from any shelter, even from Craigslist as this is where many caretakers are trying to place their cats.
Laptop SkinShop 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 CafePress store and Buy Something! In addition to the Laptop Skin shown to the right, we have T-shirts, sweatshirts, aprons, hoodies, mouse pads, gym bags, messenger bags, coffee mugs, tote-bags, pet food bowls, etc. A portion of each sale goes to help us in our TNR efforts.

To visit the store, just click on the Laptop Skin or visit our website and click on the 'Buy Something' button at the top - Thank you!
WWW GraphicVisit 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!
What is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)?

TNR CatTNR 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