Due to inclement weather, the fundraiser for the Salem Animal Facility at the Salem Aquatic Center has been canceled. It has been rescheduled for Sunday, July 24th from 12-4.
Stephanie Rakers, who runs the facility, is hoping they can raise $4,000 to $5,000 for the catch, neuter-spay, and release program for feral cats around the city and for emergency medical care for the animals.
Rakers says to date 177 cats have been trapped, sterilized, given a rabies shot, and a notch in their left ear through the program that costs about $100 per cat. She notes that 90 of the cats have been resettled in barns, farms, and businesses that need help with rodent control.
Rakers says, “Never enough; there’s just an amazing number of cats. Feral cats and cats that have been abandoned when people leave are usually when people call, and it’s just a vicious, vicious cycle of kittens with moms or pregnant cats. We’re just trying to make a dent.”
Rakers says the animal facility is also facing medical bills for emergency situations when animals are hit by vehicles, get in fights, or get sick.
Rakers says, “You have to be very careful bringing in (especially sick) animals. If something is after hours, there are after-hour emergency costs that are incurred. It’s just an expense that we have been constantly amazed at, the calls that we get for these animals that we don’t budget for.”
But Rakers says the Sunday swim is as much about awareness and answering questions as about fundraising. She notes members of the community have been extremely generous to assist the animals.
The cost to attend the Sunday afternoon swim is $5. The cost includes a hot dog and a bottle of water.
She notes for whatever reason, more animals are being brought to the facility and they now have a waiting list for cats and are also at capacity for dogs. Rakers is encouraging those who want to adopt an animal to contact the animal facility.
