CRIPPLE CREEK FERALS & FRIENDS

Jill Kirsch                                                                 

330/671-8088

criplcrkferals@aol.com                                                       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                                STRAY CAT STRUT

                        Fundraiser for progressive cat rescue organization.

Jill Kirsch, founder of Cripple Creek Ferals & Friends is excited to announce the Stray Cat Strut fundraiser which will be held at First Row Center for the Arts in Greentown, Ohio on June 16^th at 7:00 P.M.  The purpose of the event is to raise the necessary money to complete a rehabilitation and recovery room for the non-profit cat rescue.

Unwilling to ignore the plight of homeless cats nor to accept the local ‘trap and kill’ policy, Jill Kirsch officially founded Cripple Creek Ferals & Friends in January, 2011.  Since its inception she and her partner Diane Olshawski have trapped, vaccinated and sterilized 200+ felines through the organization’s Trap, Neuter, Return program (TNR).  Many of the cats have been rehabilitated and adopted out to responsible homes.

Various census reports put America’s feral cat population at 60-70 million, but while it’s impossible to know the exact numbers, homeless cats that have reverted to wild behaviors, bred and thrived can be found in every community, including Stark County. Cripple Creek is dedicated to addressing the problem locally, one cat at a time.

The impact of feral cats is both economic and emotional.  Population control through lethal means is cruel, expensive and ineffective. Trap and Kill simply does not work, but TNR has statistically been proven to be an effective way to humanely reduce their numbers by stabilizing their colonies.

Most feral animals are being fed by well-meaning individuals, very often the elderly who lack the know-how, resources or transportation to stop a burgeoning cat population. 

“People really want to help and to do the right thing. Most of them just need some help,” says Kirsch.  “They want to be part of the solution, not the problem.”

The organization provides the necessary tools, advice and assistance.  Traps are loaned along with instructions for baiting them.  The confined animals are transported to One of a Kind Clinic where they are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and treated for any parasites or injuries before being returned to the area from which they were taken.  When space and funding permit, cats with the potential to be tamed and socialized are offered for adoption.

The recovery and rehabilitation room will serve as a transitional space between post-surgical return or placement of the cat in foster care.  Cripple Creek does not have a shelter and does not accept unwanted animals from owners.  The organization is dedicated solely to improving the lives of feral cats while reducing their population.

Tickets for the Stray Cat Strut are $25.00.  The evening affair will include food, beverages, live entertainment and cat-themed art from award-winning artists.  A raffle and silent auction of high quality items will also be held.  Tickets can be purchased by check sent to P.O. Box 272, Uniontown, OH 44685 or through Pay Pal.  Tickets can also be purchased at the First Row Center for the Arts. 

For more information call:  Jill Kirsch at 330/ 671-8088.

                                                                        ###