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Press Release
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Central Illinois Animal Welfare Coalition
Contact Person: Email: director@cuhumane.org March 5, 2008 Q. How Many Volunteers Does It Take to Alter 200 Cats in one day? A. 126 And It’s Going to Happen on Cat Nip/Tuck Day Saturday, March 8, 2008 Urbana, IL – Planners of a low-cost feline spay/neuter clinic to be held on March 8, 2008, in Urbana are grateful for the help they are receiving from local agencies, professionals, and students. “This event simply would not be possible if people with the necessary background and experience were not willing to step up and help out” said Kate Meghji, Shelter Manager at the Champaign County Humane Society and co-chair of the Cat Nip/Tuck Day planning committee. Meghji added that recruiting volunteers to work this event has been relatively easy. “People who work in veterinary medicine and animal welfare are aware of the cat overpopulation problem and they were delighted to learn that our community was going to do something about it. We almost had to turn volunteers away,” Meghji said. On Cat Nip/Tuck Day, for just $10.00, low-income cat owners will be able to obtain spay and neuter surgeries at the Champaign County Humane Society and the Champaign County Animal Services Facility. The event is being organized by members of the Central Illinois Animal Welfare Coalition, who hope that this one-day clinic will reduce the number of kittens surrendered to local agencies this Spring. The Cat Nip/Tuck Day planning committee has been booking appointments for spay/neuter surgeries since late February, and anticipates that by the end of the day on Friday, March 7, all 200 slots will be filled. Cat Nip/Tuck Day volunteers include 24 licensed Veterinarians plus 102 other volunteers, including: students of the U of I School of Veterinary Medicine; students in the Parkland College Veterinary Technician Training Program; Certified Veterinary Technicians and Veterinary Assistants from local private veterinary clinics and the ASPCA National Poison Control Center; U of I students in the Department of Animal Sciences; and individuals who are active participants in the Central Illinois Animal Welfare Coalition.* Several local agencies have also played a role in making this event a reality. In addition to the Champaign County Humane Society and Champaign County Animal Control, where the spay/neuter clinic will be held, other participating agencies include: CATSNAP (Champaign Area Trap, Spay/Neuter, and Adoption Program), the Companion Animal Resource and Education (CARE) Center, the Urbana Police Department, Douglas County Animal Control, and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Cat Nip/Tuck Day is also being made possible thanks to a grant from PetSmart Charities. According to Susana Della Maddalena, Executive Director of PetSmart Charities, “Cat Nip/Tuck Day is an excellent example of collaboration. Partnerships like these are the key to successful, low-cost spay/neuter programs.” In addition to funds from PetSmart Charities, organizers of Cat Nip/Tuck Day are grateful for donations they have received from the Urbana Police Department, Unity High School, 24PetWatch, and Midwest Veterinary Supply. *The Central Illinois Animal Welfare Coalition includes representatives from humane societies, animal rescue groups, animal care and control facilities, humane education organizations, veterinarians and other leaders in the companion animal field. The Cat Nip/Tuck Day Planning Committee: Co-chairs: Kate Meghji, Shelter Manager at Champaign County Humane Society Stephanie Joos, Director of Champaign County Animal Control Sarah Hurley, CVT, Director, Parkland College Veterinary Technician Training Program Chelsea Angelo, Urbana Animal Control Officer Susan Norris, Founder and President, CATSNAP Susan Helmink, Founder and President, CARE Center Nicole Martin, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Mary Tiefenbrunn, Director, Champaign County Humane Society
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