Around Broadneck: Cats R Us rescue group could use a few good volunteers
Posted on the Capital Gazette: Monday, December 16, 2013 12:15 am | Updated: 8:55 am, Mon Dec 16, 2013.
By WENDI WINTERS wwinters@capgaznews.com
There is a nonprofit group in Arnold and Annapolis that does a meow-velous service for cat lovers everywhere.
Since 2000, this feral cat rescue group has operated a series of small shelters. Cat lovers Jeanne Marie Lesko and Ray Wills co-founded the organization, Cats R Us.
“There were a lot of feral cats behind the old Mexican Cafe on Bay Ridge Road back then,” said Jeanne. “A woman who lived nearby had 40 cats. When the City of Annapolis evicted her, she left the cats behind. I began feeding them. The Animal Control folks threatened to arrest me, but I kept feeding them. Finally, with Ray and other friends, we trapped all the cats and housed them at the SPCA shelter until they could be relocated.”
The two set up a small, private shelter. In the years since, they closed that one and, currently, have two active shelter sites on the Broadneck Peninsula and in Annapolis.
The main focus of the group is to trap, neuter and find loving homes for stray and feral cats. After the cats are trapped, they are evaluated, vaccinated, sterilized and ear-tipped by veterinarians for identification purposes.
Cats R Us has a “no-kill policy.’’
Nearly every Saturday, Cats R Us volunteers are on site from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Petsmart in Annapolis on Defense Highway, the Petsmart in Arundel Mills and the Pet Valu International stores at 940 Bay Ridge in Annapolis and 68 Central Ave. West in Edgewater.
The management at these shops have generously provided space for the volunteers, who usually have several cats on display that are ready to be adopted.
It costs $110 to adopt a cat form Cats R Us. The kitty has been spayed or neutered, given all its vaccinations, de-bugged and “totally vetted before we let them go,” said Jeanne.
“There are still a lot of cats,” said Ray as he petted a purring cat named Tamarin.
This friendly cat was left behind in a rental house when the tenants moved out. Two weeks later, neighbors noticed a cat peeking out of a window. When they rescued Tamarin, the cat had been without food or water since its owners abandoned it.
Cats R Us needs help.
“There are still a lot of cats,” said Jeanne. There are over 120 cats housed in the two shelters — a series of clean wooden sheds that are heated and air conditioned. The group handles over 200 adoptions each year, and, since 2000, has ensured over 10,000 cats were spayed or neutered.
“We need qualified volunteers to provide foster homes for the cats, especially the kittens, until they can be adopted. Volunteers, age 8 and older, are needed to assist with cleaning the shelters, to attend adoption shows at the PetSmart and Pet Valu stores, to make cat or kitten home deliveries, or to sit and spend time with these wonderful cats,” said Jeanne.
“We will provide training for shelter and adoption workers. For our younger volunteers, parental consent forms are required.”
For more information, contact 410-263-1719, MsKittyMeow3@juno.com, or visit www.CatsRUs.petfinder.com.
To view most of the kittens currently available for adoption, visit www.catsrusrescue.com/adoptions.