Saving Feral Cats Is A Passion For Two Sisters

Joy Reyes considered herself an amateur cat rescuer until she ran across a home with 40 feral cats.

College student Joy Reyes calls herself and her sister Jane, “amateur cat rescuers.”  The sisters love cats and as kids they brought home a variety of strays.  Each time they saw that the cats were examined by a Vet, spayed or neutered and adopted into a good home.  Last year Joy ran into her first feral cat colony and after seeing so many cats living on their own, she thought there must be a better way to save these animals.

Joy turned to the Internet for answers and learned about Heaven Can Wait Animal Society’s feral cat clinics that sterilize and vaccinate free roaming cats. HCWS loaned traps to the sisters and they returned to the clinic with 10 cats.  All of the felines were fixed, got their shots and had their ears-tipped so they could be identified by other trappers.  Joy and Jane returned the cats to their colony.  On their next trip to HCWS, the girls had 19 cats in tow.

The Reyes sisters learned more about the plight of feral cats who are susceptible to starvation, predators and the elements.  They volunteered to hand out flyers for the HCWS program called Operation Clean Sweep that spays and neuters every free roaming cat and owned pets in at-risk neighborhoods.  The girls were especially helpful because they are bilingual and could answer questions from the Spanish speaking neighbors.

While handing out flyers, Joy came across a house with cats running everywhere.   The situation was the perfect example of how fast a colony can grow if the cats aren’t fixed.  She spoke with the owner who agreed to let her trap all of them.

Jane with Cocoa, one of the many cats the sisters have rescued.

The project became a family affair for the Reyes clan, which included help from the girls’ parents, Tony and Sofia.  Shortly after dark the family set out traps on the property and waited in their truck until they heard the clap of a trap shutting tight.  Then one of them would grab the trap, label it and stow in the truck.  At about 1a.m. they would move the cats to the clinic, give them fresh food and water and go home.

“It was exhausting, but nice that our family worked together,” said Joy.

The process took nearly a week, but a total of 40 feral cats were caught.  Members of the Reyes family checked in on the felines every day and were especially attentive to those that were held for recovery.

Dad Tony provided protection when the girls trapped at night and Mom Sofia soothed the kitties after surgery.

Of the 40 cats, a litter of 4 kittens, one friendly adult and a friendly youngster were kept by Heaven Can Wait for adoption.  All have been placed into new homes.

That made Joy especially proud.  “It’s nice to know that you helped reduce the number of feral cats, but it’s really nice to know some were adopted,” said Joy.

The woman living on the property has moved away so Joy and Jane have become the guardians of the colony.  They go to the feeding site often and the neighbors know to contact them if any new litters are born nearby.

Judy, the HCWS Clinic Coordinator, is very proud of Joy and Jane and says with their help, “The feral cat population in that neighborhood has been greatly reduced.”

HCWS Feral Cat Clinics are held monthly.  To date we have spayed and neutered more than 80,000 free roaming and owned pets.  If you would like to get involved or learn more: CLICK HERE.

Behind The Scenes

During the past decade lots of wonderful videos have been filmed highlighting Heaven Can Wait, our spay/neuter clinic and our community programs. We would like to take this time to introduce the person who has been on the camera side of these videos and send her a long overdue Thank You!

Joanie Spina, award-winning director of the popular documentaries, “Born To Die” and “Dr. Death” has generously given her time and expertise behind the scenes filming and directing countless videos for our group. Owner of Roxie Video Productions, Joanie has been sharing her passion for saving homeless animals with HCWS since she moved to Las Vegas in 2002.

Joanie explained that when she moved into her Las Vegas home the neighborhood was overrun with feral cats and she knew something had to be done to stop their misery. A lucky introduction led her to Heaven Can Wait where she learned about our feral cat clinic and trap-neuter-return program. Joanie had just completed a degree in videography and offered her skills to our group.

“After 30 years in the entertainment industry I wanted to do a project that was an important cause to me. I knew the feral cat story needed to be told,” said Spina.

Joanie combined her staging and directing background from her days with the David Copperfield show with her new filming skills and made several videos of Heaven Can Wait’s feral cat clinic. She caught on tape the mass delivery of feral cats trapped by volunteers, the pre-surgery prep performed by volunteer vet-techs and the spay and neuter surgeries done by local veterinarians.

Joanie calls the clinic, “A well-oiled machine.” She is encouraged by the progress HCWS President, Harold Vosko has made over the years. “It’s been very rewarding to see how Harold keeps the momentum going,” said Spina.

Recently Joanie has been behind the scenes with HCWS spokesperson Taylor Makakoa for a new series of videos. The team has filmed stories about our cat adoption program, Pups on Parole program to rehabilitate rescued dogs, Pawsitively Seniors cat foster program and more.

Joanie is the proud guardian of three dogs. Soon life will be taking her away from Las Vegas and Heaven Can Wait will miss her greatly. On behalf of everyone in our organization, thank you Joanie for all you have done for homeless animals and for all your help to Heaven Can Wait.

If you have a talent or skill you would like to share with HCWS please complete a volunteer application at: http://www.hcws.org.

Inside The Heaven Can Wait Spay/Neuter Clinic

Take a tour inside the Heaven Can Wait Spay/Neuter Clinic.

Heaven Can Wait Animal Society opened Nevada’s first private, non-profit Spay/Neuter Clinic in June 2009.  Our goal is to sterilize 10,000 – 15,000 high-risk cats and dogs each year. 

These are pets owned  by people in at-risk areas and feral cats that otherwise would continually have litter after litter of unwanted kittens and puppies.  This uncontrolled birth rate is responsible for nearly 30,000 animals a year  euthanized in our local shelters simply because they run out of room. 

Heaven Can Wait realized years ago that pet overpopulation cannot be controlled through adoption alone.  Our best hope is to reduce the number of pets impounded and euthanized by reducing the birth rate.

Since opening our doors HCWS has spayed/neutered 81,000 cats and dogs.  We are excited to report that in the past two years, Las Vegas has turned a corner with a significant reduction in the number of homeless pets dying in shelters. 

In the video below, HCWS spokesperson Taylor Makakoa takes viewers on a tour of what goes on inside our Spay and Neuter Clinic.

Four days a week, we offer low-cost and targeted no-cost spay/neuter. If you are interested in making an appointment or talking with one of our appointment schedulers, please call us at 702-655-4800 or email clinic@hcws.org.

The HCWS Clinic is supported through donations.  If you would like to contribute please Click Here. 

Local Realtor Is An Angel For Cats

Angel fundraiser holding one of her 3 cats. “I am determined to raise TONS of money for Heaven Can Wait through my real estate work,” said animal lover Xiao-Qing.

When Las Vegas realtor, Xiao-Qing Lu of Keller Williams Realty moved to town in 2004 she didn’t waste any time getting involved with local animal rescue groups and sharing her passion to help homeless cats and dogs. Lucky for Heaven Can Wait she found her way to our organization.

As the guardian of 3 cats and 2 foster kittens, Xiao-Qing was shocked to learn about the tragic life of feral cats in Las Vegas. She knew she had to get involved and soon she was trapping cats and working in the Heaven Can Wait feral cat clinic.

After a meeting with Harold Vosko, HCWS president and Dr. David Henderson, HCWS medical director Xiao-Qing realized the best way she could help control feral cat colonies was through her professional businesss skills as a real estate agent.

Xiao-Qing switched her focus to fundraising for Heaven Can Wait by making a contribution of $500 each time she sells a property.  Her generosity has brought in much needed donations to our organization and C5 (Community Cat Coalition of Clark County) who works hand-in-hand with us.

In addition, Xiao-Qing has worked alongside longtime supporter Laura Eisenberg on several special events to raise even more funds for HCWS.  Heaven Can Wait Animal Society sends out a special thanks to Xiao-Qing for all she does for homeless animals!

Thor the foster kitten stayed with Xiao-Qing and is now at the HCWS adoption center. “This little guy is the only kitten I know who wants to be on the top of the world.”

If you are interested in helping abandoned cats and dogs, HCWS has lots of programs and special events that could use your talent and passion.  Check our website to see all we offer!

Veterinarian Spotlight: Dr. Nichole Wagner

Nichole Wagner, DVM a one-of-a-kind veterinarian.

By Keely Biggs

This month I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Nichole Wagner. Your pet can meet Dr. Wagner if you happen bring him or her by the Heaven Can Wait Spay and Neuter Clinic on a Tuesday. She also participates in our monthly Feral Cat Clinics. In addition, Dr Wagner is a full time veterinarian at the Mountain Vista Animal Hospital, under Dr. Taylor.

A rare native Las Vegan, Dr. Wagner graduated from Clark High School’s Math and Science magnet program and entered the University of Nevada Reno’s Pre-veterinary Medicine program. She then went on to Colorado State University. While at CSU she participated in a rotation with the Denver Dumb Friends League, which is a shelter where she met her next animal companion; a Labrador mix named Sally Jane. She also worked with the Larimer County Humane Society performing spays and neuters.

During her sophomore and senior year, Dr. Wagner did an internship at the Argus Institute, which is a teaching hospital at CSU that focuses on “veterinarian-client-patient communication” and teaching compassionate communication to veterinary professionals. While interning there she helped start up their Pet Hospice Program which focuses on peaceful, dignified “end-of-life care for pets. There she was awarded the “Outstanding Senior Award”. Her work at the institute sparked a passion in pain management and end-of-life care. Dr. Wagner also became certified in Veterinary Acupuncture through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.

As if that wasn’t enough, she was the president of a group called “Students for Human Animal Relationship Education (SHARE) where members went out to elementary schools to educate students on pet overpopulation and dog bite prevention. Dr. Wagner graduated in 2006 with her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and came back home to work for the Mountain Vista Animal Hospital.

In 2008, after two years of practicing, she decided to take the advice of her boss and colleagues to try her hand at Heaven Can Wait. She volunteered for one feral cat clinic and was immediately hooked! When asked about whether she thought they were making progress on the pet overpopulation problem she cited data from Keith Williams of the Community Cat Coalition of Clark County (C5). She says according to surveys, the numbers of cats euthanized yearly are decreasing.

After being with Heaven Can Wait for four years, Dr. Wagner says she wouldn’t be able to leave. She credits Heaven Can Wait for bringing her focus to pet overpopulation. She says she feels like she is making an impact and this is her way of giving back to the community. Along with that, the mentoring she has received from Dr. Henderson and his colleague, Dr. Olsen of the College of Southern Nevada, has been invaluable.

Dr. Wagner lives with her boyfriend, her dog, Sally Jane, and three cats; Hank, Maya and Simon. All of which are rescues… with the exception of her boyfriend of course! In her spare time Dr. Wagner enjoys spending time outdoors, especially hiking.

It is clear Dr. Wagner was the perfect fit for Heaven Can Wait by her long history of being involved with spay and neuter and educating the public before she had even graduated. We are truly lucky to have her on our team. If you haven’t already, make sure to visit Dr. Wagner to have your pet spayed or neutered. The Heaven Can Wait low cost clinic is open Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 5 pm. You can make an appointment for your pet by calling (702) 227-5555 ext. 203 or by going to www.hcws.org and filling out the clinic registration form.

 

Operation Clean Sweep: Working To End Unwanted Litters

Operation Clean Sweep is helping cats in Las Vegas like Emma. Emma is available for adoption by emailing: cats@hcws.org

Here’s a shocking fact: The average cat brought to a Las Vegas area animal shelter has only a 10 percent chance of finding its owner or being adopted?  The overwhelming majority are euthanized. 

Since we live in a betting town, Heaven Can Wait Animal Society decided to change those odds. Operation Clean Sweep, the most comprehensive spay and neuter program was developed.

Operated by Heaven Can Wait in cooperation with the Community Cat Coalition of Clark County, the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society, Clark County Animal Control and The Animal Foundation, the project just finished its first two years. 

Las Vegas Review Journal staff writer, Andrew Taylor highlighted the achievements of the program that works to sterilize every cat in neighborhoods flagged by Animal Control as “at risk.”

Here is Taylor’s story:

Operation Clean Sweep Is Working To Curb Kitten Overpopulation

Operation Clean Sweep, a two-year program to capture feral cats, spay or neuter them and return them to where they were captured, is scheduled to wrap up this week. On June 13 the project was 64 cats away from its goal of 2,645, and organizers were confident they would achieve it.

The program, operated by the nonprofit Heaven Can Wait Animal Society, is a joint effort with the Community Cat Coalition of Clark County, the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society, Clark County Animal Control and The Animal Foundation. The program, funded by a grant from PetSmart, is focused on two areas with notable feral cat populations on the east side of the valley. The first is bounded by Sahara Avenue on the south, Charleston Boulevard on the north, Sloan Lane on the east and U.S. Highway 95 on the west. The second is bounded by Owens Avenue on the south, Craig Road on the north, Los Feliz Street on the east and Pecos Road on the west.

Portions of the ZIP codes 89104, 89115, 89121, 89142 and 89156 are included.

Both the group’s initial zone and the new zones were selected in part because the areas are in unincorporated Clark County, which allows registered colonies of feral cats under the Managed Care of Feral Cats ordinance enacted in October 2008. The ordinance is designed to help feral cat caretakers connect and better manage colonies. It also provides a certain amount of legal protection for managed feral cat colonies.

“The idea is that only so many cats will move into an area,” Erickson said. “The goal is to capture and spay or neuter every cat in an area, such as a mobile home community or apartment complex. By reducing the breeding, we reduce the number of cats that will wind up in a shelter or euthanized.”

Click on the link to read the entire story: http://www.lvrj.com/view/operation-clean-sweep-is-working-to-curb-kitten-overpopulation-160342385.html

In addition to fixing feral cats, Operation Clean Sweep also spays and neuters owned pet cats in the targeted areas.  Learn more about the program or becoming a volunteer by clicking on Operation Clean Sweep.

Pet Peeves – Why HCWS Focuses on Feral Cats, Pit Bulls and Chihuahuas

Chihuahuas across the country have been overbred, making it harder for dogs like little Harley to find a home. You can read more about Harley at http://www.hcws.org.

Written by Ron Peltier

When folks come to the Heaven Can Wait clinic, they often ask why we focus so much attention on Feral Cats, Pit Bulls and Chihuahuas. The answer is simple: those animals represent the biggest issues both nationally and here in Vegas. 

The Feral Cat Problem:

A feral cat is one that has reverted to its ‘wild’ state.  It results from people abandoning their pet cats or cats getting lost without being spayed or neutered.  Then the problem worsens as cats average three to five kittens per litter and can have two to three litters a year.  In a very short time one feral cat colony can balloon into many cats and kittens that breed at uncontrollable rates.

Further, feral cats cannot be adopted as they have little and often no human contact. The best we can do is trap the cats, spay or neuter them, and release them back to their colony. Thus, HCWS focuses on its Feral Cat Clinics in an attempt to alleviate the problem. A spay or neutered cat can no longer reproduce, sustaining the problem.  If you have identified a feral cat colony, please contact HCWS. It’s the best thing you can do for them.

The Pit Bull Problem: 

Unfortunately for a pit bull, its reputation precedes it. Of course, like many things its reputation has been unfairly tarnished.  They can be loving and loyal companions, but regrettably pit bulls are the dog of choice for people who organize and gamble on dog fights. Breeders can make a tidy profit breeding them to fight. Further adding to the problem is that some music artists and media depict these animals negatively in music videos and movies.  All this creates a horrendous problem—a problem that spells doom for most pit bulls in shelters around the country. Consequently, on any given day the animal shelters here in Las Vegas are awash with abandoned and damaged pit bulls. The overwhelming majority of them will be euthanized.

As a result, HCWS has developed a program called “It’s The Pits” focusing aggressively on the problem caused by irresponsible and callous owners. Caring and responsible pit bull owners understand that the dogs are not innately mean or aggressive; rather they are made that way by people. The dog reflects its owner. If you would like to help, adopt a pit bull and save a life.

The Chihuahua Problem:

Here in Vegas celebrity worship is high as it is elsewhere. People pay hefty cover charges to see the latest celebrity at the one of the many nightclubs.  You may have seen Taco Bell’s talking Chihuahua, or high-profile celebrities like Paris Hilton toting around a Chihuahua in her designer purse or popular movies like Legally Blond presenting a character that does the same thing with her Chihuahua. Because of these influences, a massive problem has developed. The problem is that these images convey the idea that a Chihuahua is an ornament rather than a living breathing creature. Chihuahuas are not toys. As a result of people wanting to emulate their favorite high-profile star or fictional movie characters, demand for Chihuahuas skyrocketed and unscrupulous people began aggressively breeding them.  However when the reality of caring for a living creature sets in, many fans abandon or surrender them. Consequently, Chihuahuas fill animal shelters across the country and here in Las Vegas.

Like pit bulls, Chihuahuas have been ruthlessly exploited and like pit bulls, the exploitation results often in the dog being euthanized because there are too many of them and not enough homes.  Between pit bulls and Chihuahuas, the Vegas shelters euthanize these breeds more than all others combined, and it is not even close.

If you would like to help, please consider adopting one, but remember that they are not toys and need to be exercised.

To learn how to adopt a Heaven Can Wait dog, Click Here.  To learn about our Feral Cat Program, Click Here.  To learn about It’s The Pits, Click Here.

Veterinarian Spotlight: Dr. Henderson

By Keely Biggs

 

Veterinarian Spotlight is a new series to the Heaven Can Wait blog highlighting the veterinarians that give their time and talents to our low-cost spay and neuter clinic in the effort to stop pet overpopulation in the Las Vegas.  Each month Keely Biggs, who created the series, will bring readers an interview with one of the dedicated veterinarians who are helping HCWS achieve our number one goal – stop the senseless killing of 30,000 animals in area shelters every year.

 

I had the privilege of interviewing the medical director of Heaven Can Wait, Dr. David Henderson, whose passion for the cause and dedication to professionalism and adherence to high standards was obvious. Dr. Henderson’s story really is quite remarkable. He grew up in southern Florida and never graduated high school. He always knew he wanted to be a veterinarian, but never quite knew what it entailed. After he finished his GED he went on to pursue a veterinary medicine degree, thinking it was only a six-week course. Eight years later he graduated after four years at UNLV and four more at the University of Colorado. He became the doctor he always wanted to be.

Dr. Henderson watched for 25 years as the feral cat population in Las Vegas rose to staggering numbers. He lobbied to implement mandatory spay/neuter laws. For four years he was the designated veterinarian at the City of Las Vegas Animal Shelter. He told how every day the staff would bring in a giant trashcan on wheels for him to fill with euthanized cats and dogs that they had no room for and couldn’t adopt.

“The mountains of dead cats, dogs, puppies, most [of the animals] perfectly adoptable and perfectly healthy but too many because people couldn’t be responsible… that’s why I got involved… it’s horrible,” said Dr. Henderson.

Dr. Henderson bought his clinic, the Sunrise Veterinary Clinic on Eastern Ave and the 95 freeway, in 1983 when his clientele consisted mainly of Nevada Test Site employees. He had been involved with the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society before also teaming up with Heaven Can Wait in 2003. The initial plan was for him to lend his facility for Sunday spay and neuter clinics. Soon this led to Dr. Henderson becoming our organization’s Medical Director.

For seven years Heaven Can Wait performed spay and neuter surgeries on tens of thousands of cats and dogs thanks to the generous use of Dr. Henderson’s clinic.

Three years ago, Heaven Can Wait opened our own clinic across the street. “The standard is higher than the regular practice…it’s all about safety first… we basically do the spays the way I would do my own pet… that’s the way we do it here [at Sunrise Veterinary Clinic] and that’s the way they do it across the street,” said Henderson.

 The Heaven Can Wait clinic is located at 546 N. Eastern Ave, Suite 175. Dr. Henderson boasts that the clinic has at least three licensed veterinary technicians on duty at any given time, which is more than the average veterinary clinic.

Dr. Henderson is also a professor at the College of Southern Nevada and teaches during the Spring term. He teaches Emergency Medicine and Critical Care for the Veterinary Technology program, so he has first dibs on the students that graduate. All of his veterinary technicians at Sunrise Veterinary Clinic, as well as the Heaven Can Wait Spay and Neuter Clinic, graduated at the top of their class. As Medical Director for Heaven Can Wait, his job is to also hire and train the other veterinarians and set up all of the protocols.

Dr. Henderson also reflected on the new spay and neuter ordinance that went into effect in the valley. It was something he attempted to pass 20 years ago. He and his colleagues were met with much opposition from breeders and others who didn’t understand the importance of the ordinance. He believes now people understand, considering there is a hefty $1100 fine that goes along with not complying.

“We’re seeing the tipping point; I think [the population] is going to really start to go down in the next two years… the only way to stop [euthanasia] is to decrease the impounds and the only way to decrease the impounds is to remove those surplus animals and spay and neuter, that’s it, it begins and ends with spay and neuter… There’s a finite number of homes and there’s always more than that finite number of animals that need homes and unless you match that, you’re not going to fix the problem… Cats are dying 2 to 1 over dogs [a year], 20,000 cats and 11,000 dogs”.

Dr. Henderson estimates he has performed a whopping 100,000 spay and neuters throughout his career!

Doc, as most people call him, performs spay and neuters for Heaven Can Wait at least two days a week when he is not busy teaching in the Spring. He is married with two kids and, just recently, a grandson. He has one “grand dog” and two cats of his own, both of which came from the feral cat clinic. One had a broken leg and one was paralyzed.

He has won awards and recognitions from countless organizations including the American Red Cross Hero Award in 2009, Judith and Ken Animal Advocacy Award in 2011, a 2008 Jefferson Award, and recognitions from the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society from 1995 through 2006. When Doc Henderson is not busy working at the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society or Heaven Can Wait, teaching at the College of Southern Nevada, or managing his own practice for that matter, he enjoys playing golf.

It was a pleasure to sit down and get to know someone who has provided structure to the very foundation of Heaven Can Wait. Without Dr. Henderson, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Every day is a new day for us, and one day closer to conquering the pet overpopulation crisis in Las Vegas. If you haven’t already, make sure to get your pet spayed or neutered if they are over four months of age. The Heaven Can Wait low cost clinic is open Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 5 pm. You can make an appointment for your pet by calling (702) 227-5555 ext. 203 or by going to www.hcws.org and filling out the clinic registration form.

 

Here is a pop quiz:

What is the leading cause of death in cats and dogs?

A. Being struck by a car

B. Predation from wild animals

C. Euthanasia

D. Metabolic Bone Disease

E. Cancerous tumors

F. Kidney failure

Find out the answer on the next “Veterinarian Spotlight”!

Click Here to see how you can help continue the support for the HCWS low-cost spay and neuter clinic.

 

Dr. Henderson Honored For Animal Advocacy

As the veterinary director for Heaven Can Wait Animal Society, Dr. David Henderson DVM is a leading advocate in the war against pet overpopulation in Las Vegas, NV.  His work on behalf of animals was honored by the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society with the presentation of the Judith and Ken Ruiz Animal Advocacy Award. 

Below is a video tribute to Dr. Henderson and the great work he does to save the lives of animals and help the animal rescue groups that are eliminating the senseless deaths of 30,000 unwanted cats and dogs in our city each year.

Thank you Doc Henderson!

Adopted Dog Helps Family Oversee Feral Cat Colony

 

Written by Amber Mahrou

 

Every dog at Heaven Can Wait longs for one thing, a loving forever home with a family who will cherish him. That’s just what Baxter, a 5 year-old lab mix, was missing from his life the day his owners decided they couldn’t keep him and dropped him off at a veterinarian’s office.  Luckily Baxter ended up in Heaven Can Wait’s Pups On Parole program, where abandoned dogs are cared for by prison inmates and taught basic commands in preparation for the day that a loving forever family eventually comes into their lives.

 

Baxter’s day finally came when Melissa and Carl McGill spotted him at a Heaven Can Wait adoption event while they were looking for a new member to add to their family. The McGill’s had been searching for that special new dog for several weeks, but none had been quite the right fit. Baxter won them over right away with the gentleness he extended to their son, 9 year-old Vaughn, and with his sweet and mellow nature. Melissa knew when she saw the two of them together that Baxter was the special dog who was going to come home with them. But Baxter, now renamed Hudson, could never have dreamed of the housemates he would be inheriting along with his new family—a golden retriever, and a colony of feral cats!

 

Hudson’s first homecoming was also his very first lesson on living with cats. When the McGill’s arrived home with Hudson, another furry member of his new household was there waiting for him: Mei Mei, the family’s cat. At first, Melissa held onto Hudson as the cat and dog sized one another up from a distance. Then she thought, why not let him off the leash and see how he reacts to his new feline roommate? Hudson took off like a shot after Mei Mei, who stood his ground and didn’t move a muscle until Hudson was almost on top of him… and that’s when Mei Mei reached up and gave Hudson a good SMACK!

 

“He kind of keeps Hudson in his place,” comments Melissa, “The cat will curl up and sleep on top of him, and when Hudson is sleeping Mei Mei will play with his tail. All Hudson does is move it out of the way!”

 

Beloved companion and combination cat bed/cat toy, Hudson has made his transition into the McGill’s home quite smoothly. Of course, there was a bit of a learning curve while Hudson became acquainted with the McGill’s house rules… he is definitely a bed hog, and no stranger to the delicacies of the garbage can. His days of dining on the McGill’s garbage were over quickly, however. “All I did was tie some balloons on top of the garbage,” says Melissa. “He hates how they sound when they pop, so he doesn’t touch the garbage anymore!”

 

 

Of course, it hasn’t been quite as easy getting Hudson to ignore the colony of feral cats living right on his doorstep. Melissa is involved in a local rescue organization that works closely with Heaven Can Wait, called C5 (Community Cat Coalition of Clark County). C5 is an organization that helps manage feral cat populations with a strategy of “Catch-Neuter-Release”. The organization captures feral cats and Heaven Can Wait spays or neuters them.  The cats are released back onto the streets they call home and allowed to live out their lives without having litters of unwanted kittens.

 

Programs like this are great for feral cats because they are typically too wild to be adopted and if they are captured by animal control, they are usually euthanized. With C5′s program, these cats get to live the lives they want to live, but with a caring guardian to make sure they stay healthy, and without the chance of having kittens who would become the next generation of feral cats.

 

Melissa is proud to say that through C5′s efforts, and with the help of Heaven Can Wait’s spay and neuter clinic, the number of cats taken in (and euthanized) by the animal control has  gone down.

 

“C5 wants to help everyone they can regardless of where they are, but in a responsible way,” explains Melissa of C5. “Trapping cats is tough work, but we have people who are out there doing it every single weekend. In fact, just recently we caught our 3,000th cat!”

 

A few of those 3,000 cats, call Melissa’s little colony home. Hudson finds that the feral cats generally ignore him, but he doesn’t take too much offense—his favorite way to involve himself in C5′s mission is by helping the feral cats out with all of that extra food they leave laying around! C5 will probably not be recruiting him as a new volunteer any time soon, although according to Melissa the need is there.

 

“They always need volunteers. They need people to label cages, feed the cats, clean the cages, monitor the check in/check out process, and even hold kittens to help them wake up from anesthesia. That’s right, you could help us by holding kittens!” If any of those sound like the job for you, you can find more information at C5-TNR.org.

 

Although he won’t be winning any awards for his efforts at helping C5, Hudson has settled in very well with his family, both furry and otherwise. He is a fast learner and a sweet dog, so comfortable with people that he doesn’t even bark at the door.

 

“He’s everyone’s dog,” says Melissa. “Our other dog, Jack, is definitely my dog—he follows me everywhere! But Hudson just loves everyone.” Although he might not be completely unbiased, because he sleeps on Vaughn’s bed… where he hogs all the space he can, of course.

 

Click Here to learn how you can volunteer at Heaven Can Wait Animal Feral Cat Clinics.

 

 Please support Heaven Can Wait’s efforts to stop pet overpopulation!

 

Heaven Can Wait has lots of wonderful cats and dogs like Hudson that are looking for adopted homes.  You can meet the cats Thursday – Sunday and the dogs on Saturday at the Petsmart off I-215 and S. Rainbow in the Arroyo Crossing Center.