This is a positive story about how an animal shelter can go from being one of the worst in North Carolina to one doing their best to provide for the comfort of the cats in their care. Programs and grants are out there to help with the financial burden of daily operations. A lot of changes have come to Columbus County Animal Shelter, located in Whiteville, since Joey Prince took over in September 2015. He and his staff and volunteers show dedication and compassion to the unwanted pets who enter their facility.
The Columbus County Animal Shelter is pleased to announce that they have received a $1000 grant to help fund their cat spay/neuter program. The grant comes from Maddie’s Fund and was awarded because the shelter met the requirements of the Million Cat Challenge in May 2016. The goal is to be able to spay or neuter each cat that comes in to help deal with the county’s overpopulation issue. Columbus County Animal Shelter Joey Prince credits his team with improvements on their cat area saying
“Our team has really worked hard in the past year to improve the conditions for our shelter cats. We have added a new cat room for our adoptable cats and have had food and medicines donated by the community to make their lives better, so it’s nice to be recognized for all of our hard work.
Other improvements this year have included cages which encourage climbing and cat hammocks, which have proven to be a big hit with both the cats and the kittens.
In addition, the shelter, in tandem with the Columbus Humane Society, operates a trap/spay-neuter/release program for feral cats. Cats are humanely trapped, receive basic shots including rabies, are either spayed or neutered and then released to area farmers who have requested cats to assist in vermin control. The Humane Society then performs random, unannounced spot check to ensure the cats are being cared for.
The shelter is currently working on an enclosed outside play area which would allow the cats to have more time out of their cages, and is currently seeking additional grant funding opportunities for this project.
Their cats are on display and available for adoption from Monday-Friday between 8:30 am-4 pm.
Photos courtesy of Joey Prince.
700 feral cats rescued at this shelter so far this year. $41,000 raised for rescue via this Facebook page this year ..https://www.facebook.com/Urgent-FERAL-SEMI-FERAL-cats-CCAC-Whiteville-NC-430099260533480/?fref=ts
$1000 may not seems like a lot to people; but, it’s a help. And, if they have a PR program in place, fundraisers and special events will really sweeten their pot. It appears that they are using their money wisely.
They’re trying so hard to be a model shelter. I’ve done a ton of articles about their special adoption events and other projects. I stay in touch with the shelter director on a weekly basis. Can hardly wait to see what they have planned for the holidays.
Watch the Facebook networking pages too Elisa. almost $100k raised for cats alone this year to fund their rescue ..the “new cat room” was also kitted out by fans of that page ..no mention of that here ?? That is very disrespectful to all those who work EXTREMELY hard to help the cats. 7 days a week.. not just during working hours .. ..and without those pages ..the good PR here would be absolutely non existent because there would be no rescue and a lot of death. Keep drinking that Kool Aid.. BTW ask those pages how the ferals first came to be rescued in such numbers .(It was not “about 5 years ago” It was from July 2012 ).. .and it was not down to JP or the shelter per se.. but they have indeed claimed now it is their program.. wonder how far it would progress without the funds that the Facebook pages raise, despite the lack of recognition of that fact. It is not THE SHELTER that accomplishes . It is down to the supporters
The article states “He and his staff and volunteers show dedication and compassion to the unwanted pets who enter their facility.” I consider those who run the Facebook pages as part of the volunteer system since it’s not a paying position.
The supporters are key but they wouldn’t know to support if not for the volunteers who run those Facebook pages. I’ve watched thousands of dollars be raised for individual animals with medical needs.
Since I can’t seem to stop drinking that Kool-Aid, perhaps I need to stop writing about shelter pets. Especially with the messages I get after I do write.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Ignore, Elisa.
🙂
It happens when I try to help rescues as well. Even when I have the rescue checked out by a private detective to be sure all their financials are legit and in order I still get blasted. Dee I wish you’d send me a Facebook friend request. There’s a lot you don’t see on PoC.
Take a look at these. I haven’t gotten the photos on there correctly yet, but look at all this shelter has accomplished.https://elisasexaminer.wordpress.com/category/elisas-pets/columbus-county-animal-control/
Great progress.
I will be sending this to many kill shelters, badgering them.
Thanks.