Play Ball!

+ = WIN

After telling @Tribetalk about the PSAs that the Nationals are doing for Washington Humane Society (I was certain my beloved Cleveland Indians would want to join in the fun), I actually got a response back that their tweeter would be passing the story to their communications department. He also included a link to their blog, which led me to their Volunteer Challenge.

Essentially, if you want two free tickets to an Indians game, all you need to do is volunteer for four hours at one of their approved organizations. Seriously easy, right?

And what's even more awesome? They have a bunch of animal shelters and rescues on their list!

• So if you're in Cleveland, go click to find an organization, volunteer and then cheer on the Tribe!
• If you're in DC, make sure to buy tickets to one of the two Pups in the Park games, May 8 and August 29! You can purchase a $5 dog ticket along with your $20 human ticket and not only watch the game with your dog, but know that a portion of your ticket price is going to WHS!Also keep an eye out for those PSAs on the jumbo-tron.
  
• Not in either of those areas? Let me know if your baseball team is doing any cool promotions that help out animals!

Cleveland Zoo Adoption Event!

My parents mentioned this while I was home and it sounds awesome. I know at least one or two readers on here are in the Cleveland area so I wanted to spread the word.
http://www.clemetzoo.com/events/event.asp?event_id=26

20 local shelters will be bringing dogs and cats for same day adoption to the ticket tent at the Cleveland Zoo. See the wild cats and then bring home your own smaller furry friend!

Yay for Cleveland Cats

I'm celebrating more than Cleveland's trouncing victory over the Yankees tonight, I'm also celebrating the great news my friend Emily sent me.


Cleveland has successfully neutered over 300 feral cats since starting a program where the city pays $30 of the $40 neuter fee for feral cats brought into the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Following examples of programs like Ally Cat Allies and Washington, D.C.'s CatNIPP, Cleveland has shown its desire to be part of the modern movement of animal control by humanely Trapping, Neutering, and Releasing feral cat colonies instead of leaving them be for residents to poison, kill, and complain about.

Neutering colonies has proven more effective than killing or relocating colonies around the country. If feral cats are removed from an area, new ones will move in, fight for territory, and establish new breeding colonies. However, if feral cat colonies are simply neutered and then returned to their living area, they will continue to keep down resident rodent populations and keep out new unfixed colonies while exhibiting fewer disruptive behaviors than before the surgeries.

Cat calling (the kind done by cats, not unruly boys), fighting, territorial marking, and climatic screaming are all behaviors associated with the instinct and act of breeding. Once the relevant organs are removed the instinct to engage in such an act dies down and the associated behaviors to allow, encourage, and mark such an act die down as well. It is much easier on surrounding residents to live near a quietly neutered feral cat colony than by a caterwauling, hormone-fueled one where other neighbors try to inhumanely kill the poor creatures.

We created feral cat colonies by over-breeding and under-sterilizing house cats. Unfortunately, feral cats cannot usually be rehabilitated into homes with humans. They do not understand how to live with people and will not act like house cats. The most effective solution is thankfully the most humane in this case--trap, neuter, and release feral cat colonies to take care of the areas where they live and dramatically decrease the new kittens born, unwanted and uncared for, into the world each spring.

Kittens are cute, but kitten season is full of more death than life in our current world. Let's get breeding down to a manageable amount so that every new kitten can be celebrated, cherished, and cared for her entire life.