Project Purr

PROJECT PURR, AN ALL-VOLUNTEER FERAL CAT ADVOCATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, HAS BEEN IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY FOR 34 YEARS. OUR MISSION IS TO HUMANELY REDUCE THE FERAL CAT POPULATION BY PROVIDING UNLIMITED FREE FERAL CAT AND KITTEN SPAY/NEUTER TO SANTA CRUZ COUNTY RESIDENTS, REGARDLESS OF INCOME. WE FOCUS ON TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN (TNR) WHEREBY THE CATS ARE TRAPPED, FIXED, VACCINATED, MICROCHIPPED, AND EARTIPPED, BEFORE RETURNING THEM TO THEIR HOMES AND CAREGIVERS, WITH ONGOING CARE PROVIDED.IN 2021, DESPITE ONGOING COVID RESTRICTIONS, PROJECT PURR FULFILLED OUR MISSION TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE FERAL CAT SPAY/NEUTER. OVER 1059 FERAL CATS AND KITTENS WERE FIXED USING PROJECT PURRS FREE PROGRAM. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO EAST LAKE ANIMAL CLINIC AND ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF SOQUEL AND THEIR STAFFS FOR REMAINING OPEN TO SERVE OUR COUNTYS NEEDIEST ANIMALS. THERE WERE, HOWEVER, SEVERAL LARGE COST INCREASES.TO OFFSET THE VETERINARY SHORTAGES AND INCREASED COST, PROJECT PURR PARTICIPATED IN TWO MASS TRAPPING AND FIXING EVENTS MADE POSSIBLE BY PARTNERING WITH THE SPAY NEUTER IMPERATIVE PROJECT (SNIP) MOBILE VETERINARY SERVICES. THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY JUNIOR FAIR BOARD PROVIDED THE LOCATION AT THE WATSONVILLE FAIRGROUNDS TO HOLD AND RECOVER THE CATS FOR THE 5-DAY EVENTS. ITS A LOT OF WORK, BUT WE CANT DENY THE COST SAVINGS AND THE BETTERMENT FOR ALL THE CATS. EACH SNIP EVENT TNRS 40 FERAL CATS!PROJECT PURR ALSO CONTINUES TO RESCUE AND RELOCATE UNSOCIAL CATS AND KITTENS FROM THE COUNTY SHELTER FOR BARN/GARDEN PLACEMENT. TWENTY-THREE CATS WERE RELOCATED IN 2021 THAT WERE NOT OTHERWISE ADOPTABLE. WE HAVE ALREADY ALMOST DOUBLED THAT FOR 2022 TO-DATE.WITH GREATER NEED, AND FEWER/ MORE EXPENSIVE VETERINARY RESOURCES, WE ARE DEPENDENT ON OUR COMMUNITYS FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO CONTINUE OFFERING FREE FERAL TNR, TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER, HEALTHIER, AND HAPPIER, AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CATS.