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Displaced ‘Cajun Cats’ find homes |
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Monday, 18 February 2008 |
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 Kirstie Pigue holds a kitten that was exhibited Sunday at the Humane Society of Saline County’s Cajun Cat Festival. The event was held at Market Street Events Center in Downtown Benton. The society sponsored the event to showcase more than 40 cats displaced when a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals facility lost its home near New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. By Lynda Hollenbeck
Courier Staff The Cajun Cat Festival at the Market Street Events Center on Sunday was “a huge success,” Ann Sanders, president of the Humane Society of Saline County, said.
“Everyone had a great time — the people and the cats,” she said. “We plan to do another adoption event sometime in the future at the center. It was a wonderful location.”
Sixteen of the New Orleans-area cats were adopted through the event, which highly pleased Humane Society volunteers, Sanders said.
“It accomplished more than that,” Sanders said. “There were so many people who came just to look at the cats — people who would like to come to the animal shelter but won’t because it’s a sad situation for them. They consider that sort of a ‘jail’ situation and at the festival Sunday, they were able to see the animals in a happy, festive setting.’
“It really was a wonderful event,” Sanders added. “We appreciate everyone who helped with the event and everyone who came — whether they adopted a cat or whether they came just to ‘window-shop.’”
She also expressed appreciation to all of the volunteers who assisted with the event. In addition to individuals, members of the Bryant High School JROTC and Band were present to help, she noted.
To add to the festive atmosphere, Mardi Gras beads were used to decorate the cat cages and other Mardi Gras memorabilia decorated the center.
“When we talked to the people at the Riverlands SPCA, we told them we planned to buy beads for the event, but they told us not to bother. They went to one of the parades and gathered up beads off the streets, so these cats were wearing the ‘real thing.’”
The cats that were not adopted are now at the Humane Society in Bauxite and are available for adoption from noon to 4 p.m. throughout the week, Sanders said.
“We have several young grown cats and several kittens of various ages — some that are still too young to be adopted,” she said. “We don’t allow anyone of our animals to be adopted until they are first spayed or neutered.”
The Cajun Cats that are still available to adopt may be acquired for a $55 donation, which includes the spay-neuter fee, the cost of immunizations and worming, Sanders said.
“Again, we want to thank everyone who helped us with this event,” she said. “It was a pretty big project, but one we were happy to help with. The people in Louisiana are still coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and we established good relationships with them after the hurricane hit.
“We’re proud we could help them,” she said. “Other rescue groups have helped us, and that’s what the animal movement is all about — everyone helping everyone else who cares about homeless animals.”
Donations to assist the Humane Society with the cost of the project may be mailed to P.O. Box 305, Benton, AR 72018. Donations also may be online at www.hssaline.org.
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