About 150 turned out at the Salem Family Aquatic Center on Sunday to support the Salem Animal Control Department.
Stephanie Rakers who heads the animal control department says the money raised will be utilized for emergency medical bills and continuation of the trap, spay/neuter, and release program for cats.
“Now at well over 300 cats. And what we focus on is getting them released safely and healthy and sterilized so they don’t reproduce any longer. We’ve been very blessed to have a contact list at the shelter for barn home potential. And our support in helping us re-home has been fantastic.”
Rakers says they also allow colony keepers to have the cats returned to their old neighborhood and work with them on the initial trapping.
She notes having funds for medical emergencies for the animals is also important.
“We never know what we are going to need. We’ve used it for euthanizing injured animals on the side of the road that nobody has claimed or knows where they go. We try to have funding there for whatever we need.”
Rakers notes they have amazing community support as well as assistance in getting animals adopted.
The event closed the Salem Aquatic Center for the season. The early closure is the result of the start of school this week.
