MEOW Cat Rescue & Adoption (Mercer Island Eastside Orphans & Waifs) Programs
Cats and kittens come to us from various sources and situations: orphan kittens found under a deck, a stray or abandoned cat crying at the door, perhaps someone in the family has developed allergies or is moving to a place where the cats are not welcome. Some cats and kittens come from our extended rescue family, trappers and caretakers who often encounter tame free-roaming cats and kittens feeding with feral colonies. Newborn or senior, healthy, ill or injured, all animals are valued at MEOW. Incoming cats and kittens are examined for general health, illness, injury, parasites and are tested for feline viral diseases and provided appropriate medical care. Daily care of cats and kittens is done both in the shelter and in the foster homes of volunteers, sometimes involving bottle-feeding orphans, often requiring intensive medical care of ill animals. MEOW provides a safe haven and socialization as well as proper nutrition and a clean environment while the animals await adoptive homes. Our volunteers speak with the public, interview prospective adopters, and provide education concerning the care of pets on such subjects as spaying/neutering, introducing a new pet into the family, addressing behavioral issues, proper daily care and well-cat/kitten care.
Rescue
MEOW receives cats and kittens from a variety situations, often in need of medical and/or behavioral intervention. We are eternally optimistic about the potential of each one and we work daily to help them to become adoptable.
Adoption
We are committed to ensure the future safety and happiness of every MEOW cat and kitten. Making appropriate matches is how we accomplish this. Understanding that people's lives may sometimes change in ways which do not accommodate their pets, we have always held the door open for any MEOW animals needing to be rehomed at any time in their lives. We have a strict no-holds-barred No Kill policy.
Spay/Neuter
It goes without saying that any animal adopted from MEOW has been altered. In addition, we are finding creative ways to facilitate the alter of non-MEOW animals which would otherwise not have access to these procedures. It is our belief that the problem of overcrowding in shelters must be solved by spay/neuter, not by euthanasia.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
In 2010, MEOW created our Independent Rescuer Support program (IRS), the purpose of which is to provide funding for the spay/neuter of feral and free-roaming cats and kittens as well as pets belonging to low-income families. This is accomplished through an agreement between MEOW, a low-cost spay/neuter clinic and a select few individuals who work tirelessly in the TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) trenches.
Prior to receiving MEOW's financial support, these individuals have paid for countless spays and neuters from their own resources, often having to limit the number of cats altered based on their personal financial situation. With the program, they can focus their attention and energy on the goal. MEOW makes payment directly to the spay/neuter clinic. We are seeking the support of like-minded individuals, businesses and organizations to enable us to allocate up to $10,000 annually to this innovative and exceptionally effective program.