Macon Magazine

8 | M A C O N M A G A Z I N E J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 1 8 T HERE WERE CATS AND KIT TENS as far as the eye could see. There were cats and kittens on rooftops, under porches, in streets and up trees. In every direction we looked, there was a sea of felines running and scampering away from humans. And if the sheer volume of fleeing felines wasn't bad enough, the fact that the majority of them were feral, with no human family to care for them, made the situation all the more challenging. But it was just the situation for which my nonprofit animal welfare group, Central Georgia CARES, had been searching. It was a neighborhood in desperate need of help. It was there in Macon's Pleasant Hill community that CARES decided to devote efforts, not only to help residents with their pets, but also to launch our Trap Neuter Release (TNR) program. The significant number of roaming, multiplying cats was confirmation enough that this was the perfect location for our inaugural TNR. There was a cat explosion happening in Pleasant Hill. A key tenet of CARES' mission is to promote spay and neuter of dogs and cats to prevent unwanted future litters. Unplanned and unwanted litters create a public safety concern and typically result in sad, tragic outcomes for the animals. So, under the careful direction and leadership of my mom, Tracie VanDeWalker, CARES began working in Pleasant Hill in late 2017. The model CARES used in this neighborhood is the same that we've used to successfully assist other areas of town for almost a decade. We develop friendships with the residents, share our vision and create a bond of mutual trust, respect and shared expectations. It 's amazing how well this works every time and results in a lasting partnership between CARES and the community. And so, it began. Tracie paired with resident animal lover Maria Williams, who seems to know every animal and resident in Pleasant Hill by name. She was completely committed to helping CARES. While we were beginning the execution of the TNR, CARES identified residents who could benefit from our Unchain Macon initiative of loaning kennels to untether dogs, as well as residents who needed our food assistance program to help with hungry dogs and cats. CARES members assembled kennels and delivered food to gracious, appreciative residents who love their pets. The TNR initiative in Pleasant Hill so far has resulted in the capture and spay or neuter of 16 feral cats. Those cats have had their ears notched while under anesthesia to provide visual identification that they are altered and not contributing to the overpopulation crisis. Additionally, because Tracie, Maria and CARES want to save as many kittens as possible, 11 kittens already have been tamed and transported for adoption. Maria is currently fostering and taming 21 more kittens who want to be adopted and have human families to love them. The partnership between CARES and Pleasant Hill is a great example of what can continually be accomplished in our community to improve the quality of life for people and for animals. It is a journey for sure, but we've taken the first step. One kitty at a time BY AC PUP AC Pup is the mascot for Central Georgia CARES, a nonprofit animal welfare organization in Macon. Contact AC Pup at acpup247@yahoo.com. EDITORIAL

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