Alley Cat Allies is building upon our work with the Humane Society of Atlantic County to reach cats and kittens throughout New Jersey with critical spay and neuter and any other necessary veterinary care through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). Our next goal: help 1,000 cats by the end of summer!

We have provided a new grant to the Humane Society, made possible by our supporters, to fuel this innovative collaboration. To reach cats in the most at-need areas, we’re leveraging the power of local organizations and community members who know the lay of the land and have existing relationships with the cats.

Alley Cat Allies has worked with the Atlantic County community for many years to meet the needs of community cats, particularly with high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter,” says Coryn Julien, Director of Communications for Alley Cat Allies. “We have made tremendous progress with amazing, dedicated advocates and community members, but the need remains–especially in low-income communities that care deeply for cats but cannot afford costs of care. Our collaboration with the Humane Society of Atlantic County is filling the gap in low-cost services for cats, especially as we reach the heart of kitten season.”

The process is simple: Local organizations and community members humanely trap community cats and bring them to bi-weekly clinics at the Humane Society, where Alley Cat Allies partially covers the cost of each cat’s spay and neuter, vaccination, eartip, and microchip. If any more care is needed, from wound care to bottle feeding for neonatal kittens to surgery, Alley Cat Allies will provide that, too.

The cats are then returned to their original outdoor homes, where they thrive with their feline families—unburdened by the stresses of mating, hormones, pregnancy, and kitten birth. If cats or kittens need extra treatment, they will remain at the Humane Society or in foster homes until they can recover.

One such kitten is Gracie (thank you to our supporters for choosing her name!), a young kitten who needs additional care due to her age and a deformity in her leg. Through our grant, she will receive the round-the-clock care she needs to grow up strong. And since she is socialized, we will ensure she is spayed and adopted once she’s old enough!

Gracie, feeling much better after care provided by Alley Cat Allies’ grant.

Alley Cat Allies and the Humane Society’s collaborative work has already made a sizeable dent in the number of outdoor cats and kittens brought into shelters. We are maintaining the momentum together to make Atlantic County a true model for how a community can and should care for its cats.

We deeply thank our supporters and donors for making this vital program possible, and we will keep you updated as we work toward our goal!