Furrever Friends Rescue and Volunteers, Inc.

UPDATE (10/2/11):  Pretty Princess has found a home! A kind and compassionate person heard our pleas for help on behalf of Pretty Princess, and has adopted her.  Princess went to her new “forever” home this afternoon.

Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word about Pretty Princess.  Your efforts paid off!

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DEPTFORD, NJ: CAT ABANDONED BY HOMELESS FAMILY AT PET SUPPLY STORE, LEFT OVERNIGHT IN BOX

A two-page letter attached to her carrier tells her story: Hoping that a new family would be found, “Pretty Princess” the calico cat was abandoned at the front doors of a pet supply store by her humans after they lost their home.  But unless an adopter comes forward, this 6 year old cat – originally rescued from a dumpster as a three-week-old kitten – will be sent to the local county shelter.

In the early morning hours of September 27, Pretty Princess was discovered in a pet carrier outside of a pet supply store.  The store is unequipped to take in animals, and their policy mandates that cats and dogs left on their doorstep be picked up by the local animal shelter.  Instead of contacting the shelter, however, store management woke up Suzanne Pomeroy, a volunteer with Furrever Friends Rescue and Volunteers, Inc. (FFRV), with hopes they could help.

But the foster volunteers with FFRV are currently overwhelmed with dozens of homeless kittens and special needs cats.  Pretty Princess has nowhere to go.

A detailed note left with Pretty Princess expressed that she was not taken to a shelter for fear that she might be euthanized. Volunteer Suzanne Pomeroy explained “I am sure the person who left this cat did not realize that discarding a pet like this is not only inhumane and dangerous, it is also illegal.”  The harsh truth is that retail stores cannot take in abandoned animals, and Pretty Princess may end up at the shelter anyway.

The most recent reports available indicate that Gloucester County Animal Shelter euathanizes 82% of the felines that enter its doors.  Pomeroy and the other volunteers feel it is critical for Pretty Princess’ survival that they find placement for her.  Although overwhelmed with caring for the cats currently in their program, FFRV volunteers are scrambling to find a safe place for this calico.  With dozens of calls coming in each week from people desperate to surrender their pets, the volunteers face the daily reality that they cannot help them all.

Jennifer Andersch, a founding member of the nonprofit, stated that Pretty Princess is being boarded at a vet for a few days while FFRV searches for a solution. “Although healthy, she appears to be in shock, confused and in mourning for the loss of her once happy life,” she said.

The note also indicated that Pretty Princess had brothers, but gives no information on where they may have been abandoned.

To obtain advice on how to find a home for an unwanted pet, or to adopt Pretty Princess, contact FFRV at www.furreverfriends.org, 856 845 8554 or info@furreverfriends.org. Donations can be made online or sent to: FFRV, PO BOX 141, Woodbury, NJ  08096

UPDATE (8/27/11): VICTORY!!! NJ Gov. Christie uses his conditional veto to preserve the seven-day hold for shelters.  Story here.

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Re-posted from an Aug. 18 ASPCA Advocacy Alert…

Dear New Jersey Animal Advocates,

A companion-animal related bill, S. 2923, has passed the New Jersey Legislature and is now before Governor Chris Christie for his approval. On the surface, S. 2923 looks like something you would support—it establishes a spay/neuter and animal identification program—but it contains an alarming provision to eliminate the state’s current mandatory seven-day hold on all animals entering shelters. This would give excessive discretion to shelters over the lives of your pets, who could be killed immediately upon entering a shelter due to any “age, health, or behavior” reason.

The purpose of the seven-day holding period is to give pet owners time to find their lost and runaway animals. Imagine the pain of losing your pet and knowing that if he or she winds up in a shelter, it could mean instant death instead of a safe haven. This nightmare scenario could become a reality for even the most responsible pet parent.

We’re asking Governor Christie to exercise a power called conditional veto—he could strike this particular language in S. 2923 and send it back to the Legislature for reenactment with that change, leaving the good parts of the bill intact.

We need your help! Please urge your governor to do the right thing by his August 25 action deadline.

What You Can Do
Call Governor Christie’s office at (609) 292-6000 right away and ask him to conditionally veto bill S. 2923, amending it so that New Jersey’s seven-day hold for shelter animals remains state law.

You can also connect with Gov. Christie’s office through…

• The web, at http://www.state.nj.us/governor/contact/
• Facebook, at http://www.facebook.com/GovChrisChristie
• Twitter, at http://twitter.com/GovChristie

Here are a few talking points you may find helpful when placing your call:

• S. 2923 would give excessive discretion to shelters over the lives of New Jersey residents’ animal companions, who could be killed immediately upon entering a shelter instead of being treated for medical issues or given time to be adopted.
• The purpose of the seven-day holding period is to give pet owners time to find their lost and runaway animals—imagine the pain of losing your pet and knowing that if he or she winds up in a shelter, it could mean instant death instead of a safe haven.
• Cats would likely fare especially badly, given the difficulty in distinguishing between feral cats and fearful house cats. Euthanasia should not become the favored resolution for feral cats over humane and effective TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return).

Thank you, New Jersey!

Nestle Purina PetCare Company (NPPC) is voluntarily recalling select bags of its Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food due to possible Salmonella contamination, the FDA announced on Friday.

The products affected by this recall include bags with a “Best by” date of May 2012:

• 3.5-pound bags, with production codes of 03341084 and 03351084 and UPC codes of 17800 01885.
• 7-pound bags with production codes of 03341084 and 03351084 and UPC codes of 17800 01887

These products were primarily distributed and sold in the Midwestern US, but may have been shipped to other areas.

Official Purina press release here.  FDA statement here.

As part of their Memorial Day Donation Drive, Catty Stacks donated FOUR one-dozen sets of their wonderful cardboard cat condos to Furrever Friends!!  These are perfect for our foster homes that have shy kitties who feel a bit safer with a place to hide.

As you can see, Princess Kate loves playing and sleeping inside her “cube”.  Colorful and easy to set up, the volunteers love them.  But…the cats love them more.  You can learn more about the product at www.cathousesystem.com