Cat Depot

THE CAT DEPOT HAS BEEN ORGANIZED TO PROVIDE PROTECTION, SHELTER, HELP, RELIEF, COMFORT, CARE AND SANCTUARY FOR HOUSE CATS, FERAL CATS, KITTENS AND CATS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. OUR MISSION IS TO FIND LOVING HOMES FOR THESE RESCUED CATS THROUGH ADOPTION.

CAT DEPOT OPERATES A PREMIER CAT RESCUE,SHELTER AND A FULL-SERVICE FELINE-ONLY VETERINARY CLINIC IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA. THE ORGANIZATION REHOMES APPROXIMATELY 1300 RELINQUISHED OR STRAY CATS AND KITTENS INTO LOVING HOMES EACH YEAR. UPON INTAKE, ALL CATS ARE GIVEN A THOROUGH EXAM, ASSESSING THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING. THE CATS ARE TREATED FOR ANY HEALTH OR BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS THEY MAY HAVE AND THEN READIED FOR ADOPTION.CAT DEPOT IS PROUD TO SHARE THE FOLLOWING HIGHLIGHTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:ORGANIZATIONALIN 2021 SRQ MAGAZINE READERS VOTED CAT DEPOT AS THE BEST ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE COVID-19 SUPPORT - SILVER WINNER; BEST PLACE TO WORK - SILVER WINNER; BEST PET SUPPLY STORE - BRONZE WINNER; BEST ANIMAL NON-PROFIT - BRONZE WINNER; BEST NON-PROFIT LEADER - BRONZE WINNER; AND BEST NON-PROFIT TO ADAPT DURING COVID-19 - HONORABLE MENTION.CAT DEPOT HOSTED OTHER LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS ALL STAR CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION, GIRLS, INC. AND THE HAVEN ACADEMY. THE ORGANIZATION OFFERED THEM A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS FROM CAREER INFORMATION SESSIONS TO HANDS-ON VISITOR TOURS. CAT DEPOT'S STAFF ALSO CURRENTLY VOLUNTEERS TIME AT ALL STAR CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION ONCE PER WEEK TO FACILITATE TUTORING SESSIONS. DESPITE CONTINUING TO OPERATE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY UNDER COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS, THE CENTER STILL WELCOMED APPROXIMATELY 5,000 GUESTS IN 2021.BY THE CLOSE OF 2021, CAT DEPOT WELCOMED 79 VOLUNTEERS, PRIMARILY FOSTERS, WHO GENEROUSLY DONATED OVER 15,600 HOURS OF SERVICE.CAT DEPOT IMPLEMENTED MANDATORY FEAR FREE TRAINING FOR ALL CURRENT AND NEW EMPLOYEES. FEAR FREE HELPS PROFESSIONALS DELIVER BETTER CARE TO ANIMALS. FEAR FREE MISSION IS TO PREVENT AND ALLEVIATE FEAR, ANXIETY AND STRESS IN PETS BY INSPIRING AND EDUCATING THE PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR THEM.ADOPTION & RESCUETHE SHELTER FOUND HOMES FOR 1,186 FELINES IN 2021, INCLUDING 762 KITTENS AND 32 SENIOR CATS. THE SHELTER RESCUES HUNDREDS OF CATS FOR MUNICIPAL ANIMAL SERVICES AGENCIES ANNUALLY. IN 2021, OVER 307 CATS AND KITTENS WERE ADMITTED TO CAT DEPOT FROM SUCH AGENCIES.THE RATE OF RETURN OF ADOPTED CATS REMAINED STEADY AND LOWER THAN PRE-COVID YEARS (3.5%). THIS CAN BE GREATLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE ADDITIONAL TIME THAT THE ADOPTION COUNSELORS SPEND WITH THE ADOPTORS PRIOR TO ADOPTION AS PART OF THE APPOINTMENT ONLY POLICY.AN EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON PET RETENTION SERVICES UNDER THE NEWLY RENAMED PET RETENTION AND ADMISSIONS MANAGER POSITION. BY HELPING TO KEEP CATS IN THEIR HOMES, CAT DEPOT CAN HELP MORE HOMELESS CATS. IN 2021, CAT DEPOT HELPED WITH HURRICANE IDA RELIEF WITH THE TRANSFER OF NINE CATS FROM THE AFFECTED REGION.THE WORKING CAT PROGRAM WAS OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED IN 2020 AS A WAY TO HELP REDUCE UNNECESSARY EUTHANASIA OF FERAL CATS AT SARASOTA COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES. SEVENTY-SEVEN CATS FOUND A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE VIA THIS PROGRAM IN 2021. THESE CATS ARE NOT ABLE TO BE ACCEPTED INTO A CONVENTIONAL INDOOR ADOPTION PROGRAM AND ARE PLACED INTO OUTDOOR "HOMES" SUCH AS BARNS, WAREHOUSES, PLANT NURSERIES, FARMS, ETC. TO "WORK" WITH PEST CONTROL.CAT CARE CLINICTHE PUBLIC CAT CARE CLINIC HAS TREATED THOUSANDS OF CATS AND KITTENS SINCE OPENING ITS DOORS IN 2014. IN 2021, THE CAT CARE CLINIC TREATED 4,349 PATIENTS.A FULL ARRAY OF VETERINARY SERVICES ARE OFFERED TO THE COMMUNITY IN THE CAT CARE CLINIC AT A REDUCED COST FOR CLIENTS. LOW COST TNVR (TRAP-NEUTER-VACCINATE-RETURN) SERVICES ARE ALSO OFFERED FOR COMMUNITY CATS.THE CAT CARE CLINIC PREFORMED OVER 820 SURGERIES AND SPECIALTY PROCEDURES, INCLUDING 372 SPAY/NEUTERS, 162 X-RAYS, 77 DENTALS AND 260 ULTRASOUNDS.SHELTER MEDICALALL 1,186 CATS AND KITTENS ENTERING THE SHELTER IN 2021 WERE TREATED THROUGH SHELTER MEDICAL, EACH RECEIVING COMPREHENSIVE VETERINARY EXAMS. SHELTER MEDICAL PREFORMED 715 SPAY/NEUTER SURGERIES, 51 DENTALS, 9 SPECIALTY EYE-RELATED SURGERIES (ENUCLEATION AND ENTROPION), 7 AMPUTATIONS, 1 MASS REMOVALS, 15 WOUND REPAIRS AND 5 HERNIA REPAIRS.THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUES TO OFFER EXTERNSHIPS TO VETERINARY STUDENTS FROM THE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA AS WELL AS THE SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.COMMUNICATIONS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATIONIN 2021, CAT DEPOT'S COMMUNITY FOOD BANK FED OVER 6,500 COMMUNITY CATS AND CATS OWNED BY PERSONS WHO QUALIFY FOR INCOME ASSISTANCE IN SARASOTA AND MANATEE COUNTIES.IN AN EFFORT TO EXPAND CAT DEPOT'S REACH INTO THE COMMUNITY, THE ORGANIZATION'S FIRST FULL-TIME HUMANE EDUCATOR WAS HIRED. TWENTY-ONE ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS BENEFITTED FROM IN-PERSON, HANDS-ON EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING WITH 796 PARTICIPANTS.CAT DEPOT'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS BEGAN AGAIN IN 2021, WITH THE ORGANIZATION TAKING PART IN OVER 15 COMMUNITY-DRIVEN EVENTS AND FESTIVALS SUCH AS THE CITY OF SARASOTA'S HOLIDAY PARADE, LAKEWOOD RANCH BUSINESS ALLIANCE'S EAST MEETS WEST EXPO, BOO FEST HOSTED BY LAKEWOOD RANCH FARMER'S MARKET, AND UNIVERSITY TOWN CENTER'S FESTIVAL OF TREES. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, CAT DEPOT REACHED OVER 40,000 INDIVIDUALS WITH THEIR LIFESAVING MISSION.OVER 50 ONSITE EVENTS TOOK PLACE FROM READING TO RESCUES TO NAMASTRAY YOGA.CAT DEPOT PARTNERED WITH THE NATIONAL CHARITY LEAGUE (NCL) ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THAT YIELDED MANY DONATIONS. THE NCL IS A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER ORGANIZATION FOR GIRLS IN GRADES 7 TO 12 THAT FOCUSES ON COMMUNITY SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.