Help Fix ME Spay/Neuter Assistance

If you are low income and have cats or pit bull/pit bull mix dogs that need to be spayed or neutered, contact the Help Fix Me program: 1-800-367-1317 starting Monday Dec. 5, 2012 to see if you are eligible for assistance. If approved for a voucher, the portion you pay for a cat is $10 and for a dog is $20. For more information about the program: visit Help Fix ME or Spay Maine.

Spay Maine is a collaboration of Maine's animal shelters, rescues, veterinarians, animal control officers and individuals who support Help Fix ME. Help Fix ME is Maine's state-wide low income low cost spay neuter program for cats and dogs, run through the State of Maine's Animal Welfare Program in the Dept. of Agriculture. The goal of Help Fix ME is to reduce shelter intakes and euthanasia in Maine by helping low income households to spay and neuter cats and dogs. Dogs are limited to pit bulls and pit bull crosses.

 

Help Fix ME program 1-800 367-1317

 

About Cats: Jackson Galaxy, cat behaviorist

 

Update on HHPR

We continue to serve the needs of abandoned, sick and injured cats in our area. Social welfare agencies continue to look to us for assistance with emergency situations. We cannot ignore the need. HHPR is in an ongoing process of finding a property to serve as a holding facility for our adoptable cats this winter and beyond. We will also be holding adoptions fairs again to reduce the numbers.

 

We appeal to our readers and supporters to continue sending donations. We know times are very tight but even $1 helps.

 

If you have any questions about HHPR, please feel free to contact us. We have provided a contact form on this site for your convenience.

 

Message from HHPR

This year Halfway Home Pet Rescue has seen TWICE the volume of cat surrenders and abandonments than last year. The reason is mainly the economy- people cannot afford to keep their pets. Other shelters are full or turning away owner-surrendered animals for various reasons. HHPR is a "last stop" rescue for these animals. We can only assist people who have been turned away from other options. And we cannot always accept an animal because our foster home network is limited. But we are happy to offer a variety of assistance options: spay/neuter funds, emergency outreach triage, pet food for those in need, and foster homes for temporary placement. All these are made possible by our generous supporters and volunteers. We rely on donations and volunteers.

 

Because of this rapidly increasing need, it is even more important that we find a suitable, permanent property for HHPR. For the past year, our Building Fund campaign has been raising money and our Building Committee has been looking and brainstorming. We have not yet found the right property, but we have some ideas in the works and we welcome your input if you know of a property (with or without a building on it) that you think we should review. Meanwhile, we must continue to increase our Building Fund. Over the next several months, we will be having area fundraisers (see the list to the right). We hope you can come out and join us and help us continue to serve the community.

 

See a related article in the August 31 issue of the Aroostook Republican and the online version in the Bangor Daily News about our dilemma with a Caribou town ordinance.

 

Update on Lily

Many of you have been moved by our special rescue story of Lily, also known as "Paddles" and we thought you'd like to see a recent photo of her when she and her mom Judy visited HHPR.

You can see how beautiful she is and how straight and normal her legs are now.

Lily is one of our "poster" kitties because she represents our mission so perfectly.

For more on Lily, click here.

 

Outreach Program

The Board of Directors of Halfway Home Pet Rescue recently voted to initiate an Emergency Outreach Program in response to many county shelters being filled to capacity. The emergency package plan aims to allow people who care enough to call the shelter for help with a stray cat to receive a temporary loan of a cage, litter box, scoop and a 3-day supply of litter, dry and canned food while being put on a waiting list for an available cat unit. As soon as HHPR has space available or knows of a county shelter having space, the cat will then be entered into a shelter system. This plan gives the temporary foster family of the stray cat help while allowing the shelter time to plan ahead for needed units. HHPR will assume the responsibility for having the cat vet checked for Leukemia/AIDS, spayed, shots while the cat is fostered so that it is ready for adoption on entry. Working at developing foster cat units for the program are, from left: Stacy Chapman, Jenny Chapman, Stephanie Chapman, all of Connor, and Robyn Smith of Caribou (member of the HHPR board of directors).

Help HHPR Feral Cat Program

• Help by providing a piece of safety equipment for our volunteers through ACES wish list program.
• Help us by providing small to large tote boxes for making feral cat shelters (see story in right column).
• Provide Gorilla Tape for our feral cat units (available at Wal-mart, Lowe's & S.W. Collins).
  
• If you are a farmer with cattle or horses - provide a home for 2 or 3 spayed/neutered feral cats (HHPR provides over $150 of medical care) who will keep your feed bins free of mice and rats without having to use dangerous chemicals. We provide the cat(s) free with your promise to shelter and feed/water the cat(s) 1 time per day.

 

Read about our Feral Cat Program.

 

NEED A GOOD BARN CAT?

HHPR has many adult cats that would make great barn cats to keep your property free of unwanted rodents. The cats have been medically cleared, neutered, and some enjoy human contact. There is no fee for these cats. Please call Norma at 207-492-1722 for more information.

 

Best Friends Network Charities Affiliation

HHPR has been approved by Best Friends Animal Society to participate in the Network Charities Program. We have a Group Page at the Best Friends Network where you can show your support. This affiliation will allow us to increase our exposure and participate in the many benefits of the program. We are very excited about this affiliation!

 

Donate Online!

We accept online donations through PayPal. You do not need to be a member of PayPal to use this service.

 

Did you know ....

HHPR averages $200 of medical care (including spay vouchers) per cat and the adoption fee is only $50.00.

 

HHPR is a no-kill rescue that relies on the generosity of our volunteers and people like YOU. We do not have a shelter building like many rescues, but that is our dream - and it can become a reality with your continued support! No donation is too small.

 

We have a high number of young kittens coming to us. We will, of course, help the kittens, but I always wonder about the mother. We need to continue spaying to stop unwanted kittens and that means getting the momma spayed as well. If you'd like to help us, we need:

• Donations
• Adult volunteers
• Food donations for the Pet Food Pantry

 

For more information

Call 492-1722 (please speak very slowly when leaving a message). Our address is Halfway Home Pet Rescue, Inc. PO Box 488, Caribou, ME 04736.

 

Adopt an older cat?

Kittens are adorable and fun. But what about the older cat, the so-called "unadoptable" cat? Read about Amber, a sweet 11-year-old kitty who proves that the older cat can be the perfect fit.

 

Share Your Story

Do you have a pet adoption story you'd like to share on this site?

We'd love to hear from our adoptive families. Contact us!

 

Thinking about adopting? Recently adopted a cat?

Find helpful tips and information at the Petfinder Library and Video collection. Learn how to choose the right one for your family, how to help your cat adjust to its new home, and lots more.

Older cats make great pets! Read some success stories.

Memorial Programs

Read more about our supporters who have passed and some of the programs developed in their name In Memoriam.

 

Maine Animal Welfare License Plate

Read more about it

 

 

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available for adoption | been adopted

Calendar of Prizes

One of our fundraisers is our February Calendar of Gifts. Each day of our February calendar has a prize. On January 28 we will have a drawing for each day. For only $5, you can win one or more of these prizes. They include a wide variety of area products donated by local merchants: Subway, Tim Horton's, Big Cheese Pizza, Reno's, Sports Inn, Caribou Movie Theatre, Frederick's South Side, Marijo's Cafe, Dunkin Donuts, Hogan Tire, Circle K (Irving), Dave's Auto, Mr. Paperback, Ouellette's Variety, Farms Bakery, Cindy's Sub Shop, DOC, Alphie's Barber Shop, Beaulieu's Garage, Images, AND a bonus prize for Feb. 29 - $50 cash. You can win more than once.

Calendars are $5 and can be purchased from Norma Milton 492-1722 or stop in to the Caribou Chamber of Commerce and ask Jenny.

 

Why Spay or Neuter?

An adult female cat can have at least 3 litters per year and an unneutered male cat can easily impregnant over 100 females per year. HHPR cautions pet owners to spay/neuter their pets. These roaming unsterilized pets will be responsible for thousands of homeless kittens.

 

Thank you for Signing the Petition!

Thanks to everyone out there who helped us reach our goal of 1,000 signatures on our petition:

"We ask the City of Caribou to work in good faith with HHPR as the rescue continues its search for a new, permanent location in the area. The organization has a growing building fund and has been actively searching for an appropriate facility since the City first raised concerns about its current location. As the end of the year approaches, we respectfully request that HHPR be allowed to operate in its current location at 11 Pioneer Avenue, where it can continue its service to the communities, adoptive families, and homeless animals of northern Maine until a permanent facility is found."

The official deadline was 12/31, 2011 but signatures will still be accepted. Sign the online petition. It's easy! Thank you.

 

$1 for $1000 Challenge

We are launching a 2nd Annual $1.00 for $1,000 donation state-wide, world-wide competition for 2012. Last year we raised $3,000 for the future building and we hope to beat that this year. So please get your $1.00 dollar bills ready and your envelopes addressed and stamped. Hopefully enough people will send their $1.00 donation to beat last year's total. The City of Caribou wants HHPR to relocate from our residential site to a commercial area by Dec. 31, or they threaten closure of the current location. Where will these poor cats go as of January 1, 2012 and what will happen to all the frozen, frostbitten cats in January, February and March?

Please send your $1.00 to HHPR, PO Box 488, Caribou, ME 04736

Thank you all so very much. We will not be sending out thank you cards for the $1.00 donations, but please know that we feel blessed with your support. ~ Norma Milton, president HHPR

 

Pizza Hut Value Cards

HHPR has Pizza Hut Value Cards now costing only $6.00 that allows you to enjoy a tasty meal while helping us raise funds to reach our building goal. Your Value card offers 6 coupons for a $4.00 lunch buffet or a $2.00 personal pan pizza AND another 6 coupons for a medium pizza with up to 3 topping for only $3.00 with a purchase of a large pizza. Value Cards can be purchased from Norma at 492-1722 or any HHPR board member. There is no expiration date on these cards.

 

About our Leukemia testing

We test adult cats for Leukemia/AIDS as part of our health program using the following procedures. Many shelters use this same formula by vet recommendation (1) that if a nursing mother tests negative - her offspring are considered negative or if mother is positive they will all be considered positive. (1) If siblings come in together with no mother at age of 12 weeks you test one of the siblings (the most unhealthy looking one) and the same rule will apply for the rest of the same cat family. Testing kittens under the age of 12 weeks can often result in a false positive reading. (3) if a shelter is working with a feral colony, some shelters will colony test one or two adult cats, HHPR does the same with the exception that if there are a few different colors in the colony - HHPR will test each different color as the adult cats are trapped. If there is a feral mother, the mother is tested before sterilization surgery and the kittens are considered the same as the mother.

 

Holiday 2011 Newsletter

Our current newsletter is available for download as a printable pdf.

 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

If you live in the Caribou area and have the time to give us a hand, we are looking for a few volunteers:

Email: admin@halfwayhomepetrescue.org or complete this form.

 

Building Fund

Thanks to all who continue to support us. We've been receiving donations for our Building Fund, which now stands at $6200*. We have seen some interesting properties but have made no final decisions at this time. We encourage anyone with commercially-zoned property for rent, lease or sale to contact us. Our funds are limited but we want to explore all options. *update coming soon

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Help Needed

We need KITTEN CHOW and DONATIONS TO PAY THE VET BILLS

Also see our Wish List below.

 

Donate Online!

We accept online donations through PayPal. You do not need to be a member of PayPal to use this service. HHPR is all volunteers - your whole donation (minus PayPal processing fees) goes to help the animals.

 

Attention Online Shoppers! Halfway Home Pet Rescue is now a Cause at iGive Shopping portal. If you shop online, you can identify us as your "cause" and the merchants you shop will donate to us. First-timers signup automatically give us $5. There are more than 900 stores!

 

Build Shelters for Feral/Stray Cats

2011 - We're at it again! We're salvaging more crates and materials to make more shelters this year.

Read about it HERE. It's easy to do and if you want to help outdoor cats in your area, we offer two documents:

How we did it or how to make one from plastic storage tubs. You will need Adobe PDF Reader for these documents.

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Friends of HHPR

VetDepot.com

1-800-Pet MEDS:   Pet Meds Blog  |  Pet Meds Food

 

Food Pantry

We continue to need food donations to support not only our shelter, but for the Marie Joyce Allen Free Pet Food Pantry.

Pet Food Collection

We are in need of continuous food supplies to help out these hurting families who love their pets but who are hurting financially and may have to give them to a shelter if we don't help them with food supplies. At our Adoption Fairs we'll have a pet food donation basket for your convenience.

PET FOOD COLLECTION LOCATIONS:

Caribou: Paradis Shop and Save on High St. and the Presque Animal Hospital on Herschel St.

Presque isle: Tractor Supply Co. on the Houlton Rd.

 

Wish List

• Purina Kitten Chow, Purina Cat Chow
• cheap dirt litter (not scoopable)
• Bleach
• postage stamps
• copier paper
• gift certificates for volunteers (gas- $10.00 cards)
• returnable bottles

All items can be dropped off at 11 Pioneer Ave, Caribou. Please leave a paper with your name and mailing address or email address so we can be sure to thank you.

Monetary donations are accepted: Send to HHPR, PO Box 488, Caribou, ME 04736.  Please mark on your memo line what need you would like to have your donation applied to.

We're on Petfinder.com.

Our vet bills are a constant concern. We have a constant stream of abandoned cats.  Any help, even a dollor or two is greatly appreciated.