(See A Look Into Our Fight Against Cruelty to Cats on page 2) ALLEY CAT ACTION® Alley Cat Allies Newsletter | alleycat.org | Summer 2026 For Alley Cat Allies’ More Than 1.7 Million Supporters and Activists Across the Nation and Around the World Follow us on social media! /AlleyCatAllies In just the past year, Alley Cat Allies’ expert team has taken anti-cruelty action on behalf of hundreds of cats and kittens. Some of those cats have healed after emergency care and are enjoying the happiness and safety they always deserved. For those who did not get that chance, we fight for justice in their memory—and we win. We Put Ryan Berlanga in Handcuffs In November of 2025, a surveillance camera of a San Antonio, Texas, apartment complex recorded a man chasing and then committing a horrific act of cruelty against a kitten. The kitten did not survive the attack. Leveraging the power of the people, Alley Cat Allies worked with the San Antonio Police Department and issued a $10,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest and conviction. Our supporters and advocates signal-boosted our call and images of the perpetrator not just across Texas, but nationwide. Within a week of announcing our reward, a key tip was called in, and Ryan Berlanga was in handcuffs. SHADOW Before SHADOW Adopted Photo courtesy of Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. Coryn Julien, Alley Cat Allies’ Program Communications Officer, walking into court in Washington, D.C. Together, we can change the landscape of how animal cruelty is investigated and prosecuted—and, in so doing, prevent future acts of cruelty.
www.alleycat.org 2 | ALLEY CAT ACTION, SUMMER 2026 Then, we reached out to the prosecutor in the case and called for the maximum sentence under Texas law. We were right there in the courtroom in May 2026 when he pleaded no contest to not just one felony charge of animal cruelty, but two. Healing and Justice for Shadow After Alley Cat Allies issued a $10,000 reward for information on who shot Shadow in the eye with a blowgun dart, police identified and arrested 45-yearold Jacob Cushingham for the crime. At the same time, we connected with the advocates providing Shadow with emergency veterinary care and helped cover the costs of his treatment. Unfortunately, his eye was too damaged by the dart to be saved. Shadow fully recovered and was adopted into a home where he can start anew and adored. And, Cushingham was officially convicted of third-degree animal cruelty earlier this year. Demanding Arrest and Charges of a Mayor and His Wife In the small town of Lincolnton, Georgia, a cat was senselessly hunted down, shot, and killed in April of 2026. According to a police report and body Police body cam footage camera footage, the shooter was Lizzy Long, the wife of Lincolnton Mayor Mike McCombs. Even more disturbingly, McCombs actively encouraged the killing of the cat. Alley Cat Allies is demanding the arrest and filing of criminal charges against Mayor McCombs, Lizzy Long, and the cat’s owner. We are also demanding the immediate removal of McCombs from office. “It is critical to send the message that elected officials are not above the law. They will be held to its standard—even stronger,” said Coryn Julien, Alley Cat Allies’ Program Communications Officer. With your support, Alley Cat Allies’ anti-cruelty program: 1. Supports and trains law enforcement 2. Provides expert support to cruelty prosecutors 3. Funds medical care for cats affected by cruelty 4. Covers necropsies and other forensics 5. Issues rewards to spur arrests and convictions 6. Rallies advocates to demand justice 7. Educates the public and professionals alike on anti-cruelty action 8. Effectively advocates for stronger cruelty laws 9. Tracks and utilizes essential animal cruelty data 10. Improves access to care to address a root cause of neglect RIVER Atlantic City, New Jersey Join us at alleycat.org/Anti-Cruelty TAKE ACTION Receive our action alerts and other emails. alleycat.org/SignUp With just a few clicks, you can make a difference in cats’ lives and help transform communities. Here are online resources to help: SAVE A CAT WITH A MOUSE DONATE Support our work with cats and kittens. alleycat.org/Donate FIND LOCAL RESOURCES FOR CATS Alley Cat Allies’ Community Resource Tool™ is here to help you find support in your community. GetHelp.alleycat.org LEARN Advocate for cats in your community. alleycat.org/CommunityChange We are calling for animal cruelty charges and a maximum sentence 10 WaysWe Take On Cruelty WATCH: Police Bodycam Captures Cat Shot and Killed in Lincolnton, Georgia. We’re Demanding Justice. (continued from page 1) LIZZY LONG
ALLEY CAT ACTION, SUMMER 2026 | 3 www.alleycat.org Alley Cat Allies is on the ground in San Juan, Puerto Rico, continuing the fight to protect the community cats of the Paseo del Morro. We are also working with Puerto Rican officials and advocates to expand evidence-based Trap-NeuterReturn (TNR) and strengthen protections for cats throughout the city. Along with local organization Save A Gato, Alley Cat Allies is caring for the Paseo cats and taking lifesaving action to prevent their lethal removal by the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) following a federal judge’s decision. Alley Cat Allies is pursuing all legal steps to challenge the ruling, which includes gross mischaracterization of TNR—TNR was never on trial—and permitted NPS violations of federal law in developing its removal plan. At the same time, Alley Cat Allies is partnering with Puerto Rico leaders, including Congressman Pablo José Hernández, and funding spay and neuter, TNR, and humane education campaigns to make a lasting impact for San Juan’s cats. “[The NPS] plan is both inhumane and counterproductive, and my constituents know it,” said Congressman Hernández. “I urge NPS to commit to a period of public outreach and stakeholder consultation to reach a solution that puts people and animals first.” KEVIN on the Paseo del Morro Continues to Protect the Cats of the Paseo del Morro Learn more about our work to protect the Paseo cats at alleycat.org/PuertoRico. LLORIN on the Paseo del Morro Alley Cat Allies team on the ground in San Juan WATCH: UPDATE: Alley Cat Allies’ Fight to Protect Puerto Rico Cats is Going Strong
www.alleycat.org 4 | ALLEY CAT ACTION, SUMMER 2026 Lieutenant Dan Seven-year-old Lieutenant Dan survived the historic flooding in Oahu but unfortunately suffered a laceration When Oahu was hit by Hawai'i’s worst flooding in 20 years, Alley Cat Allies’ Rapid Response Team hit the ground running to save cats’ lives. Our team spent days in action at all hours in Oahu’s hard-hit North Shore, providing food and water to flood-affected cats and their caregivers. And when cats were rescued from flood zones and needed emergency veterinary care, Alley Cat Allies worked closely with veterinarians to cover all costs of their treatment. Cindy cares deeply about all animals, but cats have held a special place in her heart since childhood. That lifelong commitment also inspired her to donate to Alley Cat Allies for eight years and counting! As a “mom” to three cats, like Daisy pictured right, Cindy doesn’t feel she “owns” them at all. Instead she says it’s more like they “own her,” and they let her know every day that she is “their human.” She loves that her cats make her laugh every single day with their special personalities. PROFILE IN GENEROSITY: CINDY As a TNR advocate, Cindy also says that every time she helps a cat, she is filled with joy knowing she isn’t only saving a life, but also ensuring that same cat won’t be having any more kittens. In her passion for protecting cats, Cindy knows it’s all about securing their safety into the future. That’s why she joined our Legacy Society by leaving Alley Cat Allies in her estate plans! “Like anyone who cares deeply about animals, I’d like to think I’m continuing to help after I’m gone. In addition, I believe strongly in the work that your organization does. It goes far beyond just rescuing homeless cats and kittens. I believe Alley Cat Allies really makes a difference.” Learn how you can give at alleycat.org/Donate. To make the greatest lifesaving impact for cats, consider a bequest or other planned gift at alleycat.org/PlannedGiving or scan the QR code. CFC#10964) (EIN #52-1742079) For more information, call 866-309-6207. DAISY RAPID RESPONSE: On the Ground After Hawai'i Floods Stories of cats saved after the worst flooding in 20 years injury around his tail. He’s a well known and beloved cat in his neighborhood, and the moment one of his caregivers saw him, they rushed him to the local veterinary clinic. Alley Cat Allies covered all costs of Lieutenant Dan’s wound treatment. Better yet: His community was eager and waiting to bring him home. Alley Cat Allies footed the bill for the little tuxedo cat’s treatment. Once Dan was stitched up, pain free, and ready to go, his community was eager and waiting to bring him home. (See Rapid Response: On the Ground After Hawai'i Floods on page 6) LIEUTENANT DAN After Rescue WATCH: Providing Disaster Relief for Cats After Hawai’i Floods
ALLEY CAT ACTION, SUMMER 2026 | 5 www.alleycat.org Lakewood, Ohio, Enacts Strong TNR Ordinance This past spring, the city passed an ordinance to add protections for TNR, community cats, and their caregivers. Alley Cat Allies is proud to have provided our expertise and support to help shape this new legislation. Lakewood has been successfully operating a pilot TNR program, and the new ordinance will take that important work even further. It includes language that ensures community cat caregivers are not treated as the owners of the cats (they are not; they are good Samaritans)! Leetsdale, Pennsylvania, Takes Dangerous Measure off the Books When the Leetsdale mayor herself reached out to Alley Cat Allies to ask how to approach community cats, we leapt at the opportunity to make lifesaving change. The city’s ordinance, as it stood, included cats in the definition of “at large.” In other words, community cats were at risk of being impounded by animal control simply for existing outdoors. We explained why change was needed right away— and in June, Leetsdale amended the ordinance to exempt cats from the at-large law! Killing Cats with CO2 Gas Is 0ff the Table in Hardin, Montana in Legislation and Beyond IMPACT Your JAKE Pennsylvania BLUEBERRY Montana 7920 Norfolk Ave., Suite 600 • Bethesda, MD 20814-2525 Tel: 240-482-1980 www.alleycat.org OUR MISSION: To transform and develop communities to protect and improve the lives of cats. ALLEY CAT ACTION, Volume 36, Issue 4, SUMMER 2026 © 2026 Alley Cat Allies. All rights reserved. We may make this material available for use by other groups, but none of it may be reproduced in any format without specific written permission from Alley Cat Allies. Alley Cat Allies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and tax-exempt organization. Alley Cat Allies’ federal employer ID number is 52-1742079, and our CFC number is 10964. All contributions, donations, and gifts are tax deductible, as allowed by law. COMMUNITY CAT Ohio When we heard a disturbing recording of a Hardin City Council discussion about creating a CO2 gas chamber to kill community cats, we refused to stay silent. Alley Cat Allies reached out to the city, demanding an immediate end to any plans to kill cats. To make it clear where the people stood on this matter, we rallied Montana residents to raise their voices. Because of our action together, the council removed the cruel and illegal CO2 scheme from consideration.
6 | ALLEY CAT ACTION, SUMMER 2026 www.alleycat.org Neo We think Neo’s scar makes him look distinguished! And it’s a reminder that this sweet guy is also incredibly brave. Neo came into our care with a massive wound on his face. As it turned out, that would be the least of our concerns. The little black cat was severely underweight, malnourished, and ill. But Neo was a fighter, and after surgery and weeks of recovery, he fully healed. We consider that mark on his nose a badge of bravery and honor! Cricket When 91 cats and kittens were discovered in a cramped Alabama property, Alley Cat Allies worked with rescuers to cover the costs of veterinary care. Miraculously, most of the cats and kittens had only minor injuries and illnesses. But Cricket was unique. Look at his front legs and you’ll see what we mean! Cricket’s official diagnosis is carpal laxity, a condition affecting the stability of his wrist joints. He’s currently undergoing treatment to help strengthen and correct his legs, including splinting. Not that it slows him down whatsoever. When this one-yearold isn’t insisting on being picked up and snuggled, he’s giving “zoomies” a new meaning! You SAVED Their LIVES Pumpkin As our team prepared to leave the veterinary clinic after checking on Lieutenant Dan, a resident of Oahu hurried in with another injured cat. When the orange tabby, Pumpkin, carefully poked her head out of her carrier, the painful wound on her ear was immediately apparent. Pumpkin was discovered in a previously flooded zone and, when a bowl of food was set down, refused to eat. Given the high stress of surviving the flood and her wound, it wasn’t a surprise that she had little appetite. Because we provided support along with the care team, Pumpkin was treated and fostered until she healed and could find a forever home. The Best Way to Stay Safe During Disasters: Prepare Find key disaster preparedness information for cats at alleycat.org/Disaster. RAPID RESPONSE: On the Ground After Hawai'i Floods(continued from page 4) PUMPKIN NEO CRICKET CHERRY Before CHERRY After Strudel and Kittens It’s always a privilege to help kittens and their mother thrive! Of course, mother cat Strudel will be spayed, so this will be her last litter. If not for your support, Strudel, Cherry, Berry, and Pebbles might not have made it out of the shelter where they were rescued. Thank you for helping us provide their medical treatment from their earliest days to today. Because we provide the care they need, they can play hard, sleep soundly, and live life to the fullest. WATCH: Cricket and Neo are the Sweetest BFFs!
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