The Ark Animal Shelter
Cherryfield, Maine
Contact: Shaina Mugford, Administrator
(207) 271-1647
ARK ANIMAL SHELTER RECEIVES $40,000 Grant from
Elmina B. Sewall Foundation for
ARK ALLEY CATS program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cherryfield,Maine
September 1, 2021
The Ark Animal Shelter in Cherryfield has received a $40,000 grant through the Cat Population Control portion of the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation’s Animal Welfare Program. The grant was endowed for the purpose of advancing “Trap Neuter Release,” along with the Ark’s innovative new Ark Alley Cat program (AACP).
The grant money will be allocated, in part, to The Ark Alley Cats Program, whose goal is to reduce the number of unwanted cats in Washington and Hancock Counties. Grant money will also support the Ark’s Trap Neuter Release program (TNR) piece of AACP, which allows free roaming cats to experience colony life as they know it, without reproducing.
The Ark plans to engage and help educate local Animal Control Officers and interested community members in efforts of trapping, neutering and returning cats to their colonies. For those cats that cannot be returned to the property in which they were trapped, they will safely reside on the Ark’s 80 acre property, housed in the new Ark Alley Cat building which is scheduled to be operating in late fall of 2021.
“There are more than 160,000 feral and stray cats in the United States,” said Shaina Mugford, the Ark’s Administrator. “While we know that we can’t save them all, we can definitely make a significant difference in their population in Washington and Hancock Counties. We are so very grateful to be receiving this important grant money from the Elmina Sewall Foundation. “TNR” is more than simply saving today’s cats: we feel that it is the future of animal control and sheltering. These much needed funds are allowing us to quickly move forward to implement our plans. And for this, we are extremely grateful!”
The Ark Animal Shelter, a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization, is located in Cherryfield, Maine. It is dedicated to the care of homeless, unwanted or displaced animals, and provides shelter and care to all admitted animals until appropriate placement can be made. The Ark does not euthanize unless a serious medical or behavioral problem exists.
