by The Ark Manager | May 5, 2022 | Succesful Rabbit Adoptions
We wanted to talk with you a bit about our feral kitty program, the Ark Alley Cats! (AACP).
As most of you know, our AACP building is now on property…YAY! Part of the Ark’s mission is alleviating over population of unwanted pets through spay or neuter, so of course- one of the biggest pieces to the AACP is–you guessed it- spay and neuter!
With that being said, it’s important that if cats are living outside and are ACCUSTOMED to living outside, our goal is to return kitties to the property in which they were trapped AFTER they are altered. Most cats, if healthy and spayed/neutered, do no harm living on someone’s property. In fact, they can provide for vermin control, AND have less emotional stress due to fresh air and environmental stimuli and exercise.
We’d like to make it clear that the Ark, in most cases, will not be picking up people’s feral cats from their property and taking them to our building. What we WILL be doing is educating the public on:
1. It’s ok for some kitties to be outside!
2. Safe trapping procedures to land/home owners so the Ark can help and pay for spay/neuter and the return of kitties to the property AND provide the traps
3. The importance of spay neuter
4. Humane treatment of feral cats. (Just because sometimes you can’t pick them up for a snuggle, does not mean you can’t treat them with kindness).
…If the Ark went gung-ho and let all feral kitties come to the building, we would unfortunately not be making a dent in the over pop of unwanted kitties because we would fill up so fast! Remember: A shelter is a revolving door and a BRIDGE to a better life. Our feral building has a purpose: To provide safe space for holding prior to neutering, healing after neutering, and a home to roam to and from the building and property for those ferals that CANNOT go back to the property in which they were trapped.
If anyone has any questions about the AACP, please do not hesitate to call Shaina Fraser, Shelter Administrator. We look forward to working in our counties to reduce unwanted kitties via spay/neuter and answering any questions you might have.
by The Ark Manager | Nov 16, 2021 | Succesful Rabbit Adoptions
December 16th, 9am
At the Ark Animal Shelter
Ark Alley Cats Training and Workshop
With all the excitement around the Ark’s innovative new program, The Ark Alley Cats, we are offering training on feral cats on December 16th here at the Ark, open to the public. As most of us know, ‘Nobody’s cat is everybody’s cat.’ This training is suited for anyone in the animal welfare industry, or even just those who are willing to help and want to lend a hand. This is our opportunity to open the minds of those folks to our approach with feral cats.
Lea Palmer, the Director of Spirit’s Place in St. Albans will be joining us to discuss her vast experience working with ferals, feral colonies, and what YOU can do to help. We will also be taking an opportunity to build make-shift cat shelters to give them out in our communities.
Spirit’s Place is a cat sanctuary that focuses on educating the public on feral and community cats. Spirit’s Place mostly serves Somerset, Pisquataquis and Penobscot counties. The Ark is pleased to collaborate and expand, providing similar services in Washington and Hancock Counties.
We are trying to reach the community and offer some education around feral cats. Spirit’s Place’s motto is: “Not everyone can have a home, but everyone can have a life.” This is exactly what we want to convey- not ALL cats are suited for indoor living. While those folks that are always trying to socialize wild and feral cats and are keeping them inside have their hearts in the right places, this method is most often ineffective and not conducive to a cat’s contentment. We appreciate the people who are concerned for cats during the winter and want them safe- we are on the right track with this caring mindset! However, cats don’t always need to come inside. They need other cats. They need feeding stations. They need to be spayed/neutered. Also, please always remember: Practicing kindness to living things does not mean bringing them home. There are plenty of other ways to help.
For those of you that aren’t aware, Ark Alley Cats Program (AACP) is offering traps, education on trapping and T-N-R (trap-neuter-return) of cats in Wasington and Hancock County. The Ark has even gone the extra step to put a building on our property to house displaced feral cats. This is designed for the cats that are absolutely unable to be returned from the property in which they were trapped, OR other cats that come into the shelter by other means, and cannot be kept in the main shelter due to an inability to be adopted as an Ark pet. This AACP building will allow these cats the ability to come and go to and from the building and roam our 80-acres of property. These cats may be able to be adopted out as barn cats in pairs, and who knows? Maybe some will even turn out to be stray rather than feral, being able to be adopted as a pet or an inside/outside kitty. What if none of these outcomes occur? Then the kitties are happy, healthy, and not reproducing.
\Why Ark Alley Cats?
Feral cats that are brought to shelters often take up room in a cage that could be utilized for a domesticated cat. Often, they occupy this space for long periods of time due to an inability to be adopted. This in turn decreases the shelter’s ability to help a larger number of cats. More important to note, is that the feral cat is often unhappy and extremely stressed in this environment. When an animal is born and has learned to survive outside, we do not bring them inside and confine them. As Lea says: “We don’t go around and gather up the porcupines, squirrels and chipmunks when it starts to get cold out, do we?”
Come to the Ark and listen to our innovative solutions on caring for and helping feral cats the right way. Feeding stations, TNR, safe trapping methods, ect. We will talk about when cats can be “returned” and when they can’t. We will have a forum on ways to overcome resistance from our communities when it comes to innovative approaches on dealing with ferals. Come join us for this conversation! Please email Shaina at administration@thearkpets.org to reserve your spot.. We are graciously accepting donations for Spirit’s Place for Lea’s time, travel, and expertise.
Ark Administrator
Shaina R. Fraser
by The Ark Manager | Aug 29, 2021 | Succesful Rabbit Adoptions
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.
by The Ark Manager | Jul 29, 2021 | Succesful Rabbit Adoptions
We have some very exciting news!
The Ark Animal Shelter has received a $10,000 grant from the Belvedere Animal Fund of the Maine Community Foundation for The Ark Alley Cats Program (AACP) to TNR community cats and/or house ferals on the property.
In the next 18-months, the AACP goal is to spay/neuter 50 feral cats or more, either returning them to their colonies, or if needed, accommodating and housing the feral cats on shelter premises with a new building. The new building is where the ferals will be able to happily and safely free-roam the Ark property. This grant will help many cats in the Washington and Hancock area, reducing the population of unwanted cats. It is already promising to see so many friends and neighbors concerned about cats in their own neighborhood, and looking out for their well-being. With help from these people, as well as our local ACO’s and volunteers, this work is made possible. AACP at the Ark will also be renting out traps and teaching individuals how to safely and humanely trap ferals.
“This grant will help pay for our new building, coming on property in late fall, as well as help with the program operation. For more information, call 546-3484.
Headquartered in Ellsworth, with additional personnel in Portland, Dover-Foxcroft, Rockport, and Mars Hill, the Maine Community Foundation works with donors and other partners to provide strong investments, personalized service, local expertise, and strategic giving to improve the quality of life for all Maine people. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org.
by The Ark Manager | Feb 1, 2021 | Succesful Rabbit Adoptions
Hi there everyone! Meet Daisy, the sweet and calm bunny who is litter trained, tame, and super duper soft. She enjoys sniffing her bunny friend Midnight through the cage. She is around two years old. Maybe Daisy will be your some-bunny special. Give us a call! Daisy is very lucky to have two sponsors. She certainly has an unlimited amount of carrots, lettuce, blueberries, and comfy and delicious timothy hay. She will also was just spayed! so that she doesn’t make any more babies or have any other health issues so that she can live a long healthy life!
by The Ark Manager | Jan 11, 2021 | Succesful Rabbit Adoptions
We got buns, hun…
Midnight is hand-tamed, friendly, SUPER soft and snuggly.
Favorite past times include eating carrots, playing with plastic balls, and hopping. Midnight was also recently neutered!
He has his little bunny-heart set on going home soon. Please make an appointment to come and meet him soon! Maybe YOU will be the one to adopt him! He HOPS to see you soon.
P.S…did you know that the energizer bunny was recently arrested? He was charged with battery. Ok, ok, enough with the bunny puns. Seriously though:
