by Cindy Dorman
An interesting thing happened in the Lakeland Community over the past week. A citizen noticed a group of cats in distress at an abandoned house. She posted for help on a Lakeland Lost and Found Facebook group. Almost immediately responses came in with offers of food, suggestions of rescue groups, and people who may be able to help were tagged.
The post was made on March 5. By March 11th, all twelve cats were removed from the property and 11 were placed with fosters and a rescue group.
What made this so interesting? The speed with which the problem was taken care of. Without a community all pulling together this could not have been resolved so quickly. It is up to all of us to assist with situations such as this. We live in a society where animals are often discarded like trash.
An imperfect world where homelessness and abandonment will always be with us. But when citizens work together it makes the world a better place for all of us.
Polk No Kill Coalition is a nonprofit that is working towards making Polk County Animal Control a No Kill. Great strides have been made in the past year towards the No Kill Movement at Animal Control. When citizens step in and do what they can to keep animals out of the shelter, it leaves room for others. Best Friends, (bestfriends.org) and TLC Petsnips, a non-profit clinic, work hand in hand with Animal Control and local Rescues to provide low cost spay and neuter and other medical services.
Without the support of TLC Petsnip low cost spay and neuter services, many more pets would be out there reproducing leading to more unwanted and abandoned pets. Are your pets altered? Please be a part of the solution and get them fixed.
Thank you to Saving Paws Rescue of Florida, Inc (formerly Forgotten Tails) who was able to take in most of these kitties. This is a huge financial undertaking and they are a non profit. Donations of any amount are appreciated. Check them out on Facebook where you can follow the stories of these cats as they go from homeless to their forever homes.
Thanks to everyone who had a hand in this. It is a great example of how we gravitate to a No Kill status at PCAC. By the community getting involved in any way we can.