Fund Drive Underway
In the summer of 2024, the Furever Friends Lodge volunteers got together to decide whether or not they wanted to undertake the responsibility and expenses with a local spay and neuter program. Cats Unlimited ceased to exist and without an active spay and neuter program, the population of cats in Rockbridge County would explode. So the organization decided to take on the program.
”We all voted and the ‘yes’ was loud and clear,” said a spokesperson for Furever Friends Lodge.
The Furever Friends spay and neuter program started with two local veterinarians assisting ‒ Animal Clinic of Rockbridge and WellPet in Lexington. Since then, Lexington Animal Hospital and the Mobile Vet Solutions have become part of the program.
The program is run by four volunteers who each take a week of “phone duty,” answering the dedicated line. They forward the information from each caller to the spay and neuter coordinator, who then forwards it to the designated veterinary office and notifies callers when they have been approved.
Since June 16, 2024, 546 cats have been spayed and neutered with an additional 67 waiting for their surgeries.
“We are so happy to be affiliated with our wonderful vets who are working for the community and with us so actively,” said the spokesperson.
This year has seen an exponential rise in the number of cats and kittens in the Rockbridge County as well as all over the country.
“We have been lucky enough to be able to place as adoption into many homes or have transferred others to several great large and effective shelters in Northern Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania,” said the spokesperson. “We wish we could do more!”
In the first six months of this year, 59 of Furever Friends’ cats and kittens have been adopted. The organization has also facilitated 28 transfers and has trapped, neutered and returned 21 feral cats to their colonies.
The organization has eight fosters for its mother cats and kittens. They not only house them, but also feed, clean and socialize the new kittens along with the mothers for their new families. The mother cats are spayed first, then are chosen to go live with their families.
Kittens are still many peoples’ first choices but more adopters are realizing that older cats are already trained and ready for love.
”We appreciate each and every person who volunteers, supports us whether it be with kind words, purchasing food and supplies and most importantly helping us raise the money to fund our spay and neuter program,” said the spokesperson.
To celebrate the first year of the spay and neuter program, the Furever Friends Lodge is offering the opportunity to adopt a cat or kitten simply by asking for an application via email. All of their cats and kittens are spayed/neutered, are vaccinated, litter box trained and vet checked. For more information, send email to fureverfriends2020@gmail. com.
There is a fundraiser in the planning and donations are appreciated and can be mailed to Furever Friends, 2463 Beech Ave., Buena Vista, VA. 24416, by venmo to Mary@fureverfriends2020, or Paypal, Forever Friends Lodge, Buena Vista, Va. The goal is to raise $10,000. A donor has promised the organization an additional $2,500 once they reach the goal.
“We can spay and neuter a lot of cats with that much money, helping our community to work through this flood of unwanted and homeless cats and kittens. Please help. No donation is too small. We really appreciate each and every one of you,” said the spokesperson.
