Grace & George
’
Vanna White
Jennie
Elmer
Nina
Reese
Buddy
Shylo
Frankie
ADOPT a happy, healthy Save Our Strays Kitty. Love guaranteed!
Save Our Strays, Inc.
A no-kill, non-profit organization dedicated to rehoming
abandoned cats and kittens
CONTACT US:
PO Box. 373
Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785
727 481 5091
727 481-5262 (Surrender Line)
E-mail:
[email protected]
On line:
www.SaveOurStraysInc.com
www.Petfinder.com
ADOPTION
LOCATIONS:
Debi’s Puppy Love
9673 Bay Pines Blvd.
Seminole
727 392-7662
Pet Food Warehouse
6155 18th St. No.
St. Petersburg
727 521-6191
Saturdays Only
These PetSmart stores:
Various Saturdays
(11 am - 3 pm; call for
exact dates)
♥ Tyrone Blvd & Park St
St. Petersburg
343-7900
Every Saturday; 11:30 am – 4pm
♥ CountrySide
26277 US 19 North at
Enterprise Rd, Clearwater
727 799-3311
♥ Largo Mall Ulmerton Rd.
Largo
727 518-2600
Board of Directors
Co-Presidents: Linda Hartnett &
Nancy Skoney
Secretary: Jackie Bell
Treasurer: Robin Bass
Vice Presidents: John Hartnett
Val Laking
Board Member: Sandra Dorton
Newsletter
Editor: Donna Johnson
Photo Editor: Paula Hays
Design Specialist: Glenna Boyette
-2-
Planned Giving
With the tight economy, most people spend their money wisely.
The same holds true when people want to contribute to a charity and to
know that their donation will be utilized efficiently.
Save Our Strays, Inc. offers one of the best choices for
contributing to a Pinellas County animal welfare organization.
Save Our Strays is one of the few that is a no kill organization.
Save Our Strays is operated by dedicated volunteers and has no
paid employees.
Save Our Strays houses its felines in volunteers’ homes; it has
no shelter expenses.
For more than 15 years Save Our Strays has worked throughout
Pinellas County to rescue, rehabilitate and adopt out as many felines as
we have had resources to handle. From our first year with a few score of
adoptions to the present with over 450 rescues and adoption annually,
Save Our Strays continues to grow as the need continues to escalate.
You can be confident that your contribution to SOS is put to
prudent use.
As you can see, our largest expenditure is veterinarian care, which runs
from routine spays and neuters to
major surgeries for amputations,
broken bones, eye problems and
internal ailments.
Cat food and litter account for nearly
20 percent of our expenses. Cats that
are unadoptable or that are older and
take longer to place factor into these
expenditures.
Administrative costs include two
dedicated phone lines and storage
rental. Printing costs (adoption contracts, newsletters, brochures etc.)
Source: Save Our Strays ’09 -’10 Expenses
and stamps also are a part of this
category.
All SOS cats are microchipped for ID purposes. Our cost runs $15 per chip
for this adoption amenity, which includes the registration fee.
Save Our Strays, Inc.’s overall expenditures for the past year put
our cost per adoption at $146. This figure does not factor in our long-term
care for unadoptable felines, which is part of SOS’s no kill policy.
Save Our Strays Board of Directors is working on plans to offer an
SOS endowment fund, which will provide supporters with specific
directives for their contributions.
If you have questions regarding planned giving opportunities (gifts
may made in cash, securities, real estate, tangible personal property and
life insurance), contact your financial and legal advisors.
Classy Cat Note Cards make great gifts
Charlie, Corona, Jenny, Natasha and Peanut star in Save Our Strays’ firstever collection of Classy Cat note cards. The five full-color cards feature
adopted and adoptable SOS felines. The cards with envelopes sell for
$1.50 each or four for $5. The note cards, which make a charming little gift
for cat lovers, can be found at SOS PetSmart locations.
A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by
calling toll-free (800-435-7352) within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval or
recommendation by the state.
Save Our Strays’ on-site
adoption locale expands
Save Our Strays has a new expanded adoption
locale within Pet Food Warehouse’s retail store in
St. Petersburg. With over 250 sq. ft. devoted to
our felines, “Pandora’s Playroom” features a
cheery picture window with a wide tile ledge for
the cats’ enjoyment. This new cat room is four
times the size of the former cat area in the store.
The new space is just part of the store’s overall
expansion which increases the facility’s footprint
by about 3,000 square feet. The addition offers a
twofold benefit to customers: It will provide space
to open up the aisles for a roomier atmosphere to
browse and shop. It will also allow room to bring
in new lines of merchandise and new foods for
pets.
Pet Food Warehouse has provided space in its
store for our felines and offered adoption
counseling and service to clients since 2000. The
privately-owned store, located on 62nd Avenue
North at 18th Street, offers more than 55 brands of
quality pet food for cats and dogs. In addition to
supplies for furry friends, they also have a great
selection of food, treats, and supplies for fish,
birds, small animals and reptiles.
For more information call, 727-521-6191 or visit
the store’s website at www.petfoodStPete.com.
Save Our Strays, Inc. receives
Walmart grant
Walmart’s philosophy to give back locally
supports causes that are important to its
customers in their own neighborhoods. A Walmart
Local Community Contribution grant was awarded
to Save Our Strays this fall. The $1,000 grant
provides assistance toward veterinary care and
finding homes for stray cats and kittens in Pinellas
County. Save Our Strays, Inc. appreciates
Walmart’s financial support.
Cindy DeCrane, Human Resources Manager for
Walmart’s store in Clearwater (right) presents a check
for $1,000 to Save Our Strays volunteer, Ruth Duncan.
Holiday fundraisers:
Mark your calendar
Gift Wrapping at Borders Books
Save Our Strays has teamed up with Borders Book and
Music at Tyrone Mall for the fifth year. As a community
service, the store offers a selection of holiday wrapping
paper. Our dedicated volunteers supply the wrapping
talent. Contributions directly benefit our felines. This is a
great fundraiser for Save Our Strays. Tell your
neighbors and friends to come by for beautiful gift
wrapping. We will be at the St. Petersburg store after
Thanksgiving and eight days before Christmas.
After Thanksgiving 10 am to 10 pm
Friday Nov 26 Saturday Nov 27 Sunday Nov 28
Before Christmas 10 am to 10 pm
Friday Dec. 17 through Friday Dec. 24
Volunteers are needed. Sign up to wrap by contact-ing
Donna at 727 545-1116.
Santa and pet photographs at PetSmart
Bring your pets to PetSmart for a photo op with Santa.
Pet owners can purchase a colored 4- by 6-inch framed
print for only $9.95 with their PetPerks card. For every
photo purchase, $5 will be donated to Save Our Strays.
Our volunteers will be at the following PetSmart stores
11 am to 4 pm to capture your pet’s precious pose.
Saturday & Sunday
Dec. 4 & 5
Largo Mall
Saturday & Sunday
Dec. 18 & 19
Tyrone Blvd
To help with the photo sessions, call 727 481-5262.
Volunteer meeting held
Save Our Strays’ volunteers met at the Largo Library on
Sunday, October 24 to discuss the organization’s needs
and opportunities to help. Co-President Linda Hartnett
outlined the group’s priorities:
A CPA to compile SOS’ financial statement and assist
with tax returns.
Task force to explore all aspects of shelter operation
from signage to volunteer needs.
Team to seek out and write grants for spay/neuter
funding, public education and shelter revenue.
Committee to work on proposed SOS endowment fund
(establish working rapport with law firm that specializes
in endowments and with financial institution to hold
created fund).
More volunteers to man PetSmart locations and to
coordinate Pet Food Warehouse’s expanded SOS
adoption site.
Help to volunteer for our fundraisers in November and
December (see articles on this page for details).
Interested in assisting in our efforts to further help our
rescues? ..call Liz at 727 481-5262
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From hard luck tales to heart-warming rescues
The following are just two of the many medical
challenges that Save Our Strays deals with each
month in its efforts to rehabilitate sick and injured
rescues. Can you provide love and care for one of
these special needs kitties? Call 727-481-5262.
This young Siamese-mix kitten was brought to
Gulfport Veterinarian and left at the counter. It could
not walk. Both of her hind legs had multiple
breaks. X-rays revealed that the bones were not
aligned. Dr. Roy Faulkner operated on the little
survivor inserting a pin and plate in each hind leg.
The friendly six-month old kitty named Hope is
making a come-back. She has some mobility issues
which hopefully will improve as her bones heal. Hope
will make a lovely addition to a family that will monitor
her progress and keep her calm during her recovery
period. Established contact with a veterinarian and a
home visit are needed to adopt Hope who is ready
for lots of well deserved love.
Hope, a 6-month old sur-
vivor, was hit by a car.
Silver Bell, a beautiful
grey Tabby, was blind
when she was rescued.
After surgery, her sight
has greatly improved.
When Silver Bell and her sister, Elsie were rescued,
both of the 5-week old kittens had severe eye issues.
Returned cats need homes again
Save Our Strays has had a wave of returned felines
with reasons running the gamut from moving to
issues with small children. Can you give one of these
kitties a second chance for a forever home?
Lola, declawed female patch Tabby. Born July 2008
Timothy, declawed grey male. Born April 2009
Silver Bell has had surgery on both eyes, which has
greatly improved her sight. She continues to be
treated, which may be an ongoing process.
Elsie, a lovely medium hair black cat, has one eye
that appears foggy; she can see fine, however.
Now 5 months old, the kittens are lap cats and love
attention. Silver Bell enjoys peeking into the fridge.
Elsie is calm, laid back and likes to cuddle in bed.
Adopting the siblings as a pair would be ideal. Call
Trish at 727 345-6217 to see these willful young cats.
Gus Gus, orange cream male. Born July 2009
Aimee, white female with one blue and one green eye
(see photo on page 6). Born November 2008
Binx, solid black male. Born October 2007.
Patches, grey Tortie female. Born 2001
Oreo, Black & white male. Born March 2006.
Adoption fee will be waived for these affectionate special-needs kitties
This spring a mama cat and her four baby kittens were
rescued at a St. Pete Beach apartment complex by Sue
R., a crusader in controlling cat overpopulation. A black
kitty with white markings was rescued, too, and put with
the others. Unfortunately, the mama cat had feline
leukemia and transmitted the disease to her kittens as
well as the black male. Born in April 2010, the fluffytailed kitties are super loving and very playful. Spayed/
neutered and completely vetted, they are ready for the
right homes.
Sammy
Happy Jack
The adoptive family or families should have no other
cats or only a feline leukemia positive cat. The kittens
must be inside pets only. With a high-quality diet and
good care these kitties can remain in good health for
years.
This is a great opportunity to adopt at no charge and
enjoy a few or all of these lovebugs. A calico kitten was
adopted; four beauties still await forever homes. Call
Sue at 727 540-2343 to see this affectionate foursome.
Lightning
Stash
Meet Hank – cancer survivor
Youngsters generate funds for Save Our Strays
Tyler’s birthday celebration
Hank is a love despite
his hard existence
before SOS took him
in and treated his lifethreatening cancer.
Hank was living as a stray in a mobile home park
when a resident called SOS concerned about the
cat’s abscessed ears. The rescued cat actually
had squamous cell cancer and the ears had to be
removed. Hank has recovered from surgery and
his cancer is in remission. In spite of his ordeal,
Hank is still a good looking guy with black & white
medium hair. He is extra friendly and loves to be
held.
Hank may be adopted by a family willing to deal
with his health issue or Hank can be ‘adopted’ in
name only. We will provide monthly updates to his
surrogate family.
Black cats and good luck
Did you know that black cats have the lowest
adoption rate and the highest euthanasia rate? For
whatever reason, black cats are statistically less
likely to be adopted than more brightly colored
felines. This is the No.1 reason to adopt a black cat.
Black cats resemble miniature panthers. Their regal
breeding is very apparent. Their shiny sleek fur
contrasts beautifully with their exquisite green, gold
or yellow eyes.
Animal-behavior expert Temple Grandin discusses
the charms of black cats in her book "Animals Make
Us Human." She writes, “A handful of studies show
a relationship between fur color and behavior. Black
cats are more social overall, whether it’s with other
cats or humans. Their laid-back manner makes
them particularly good pets.”
In Wales, black felines are believed to prevent sickness:
A black cat, I’ve heard it said;
Can charm all ill away;
And keep the house wherein she dwells;
From fever’s deadly sway.
As for bad luck, Groucho Marx said “A black cat
crossing your path signifies that the animal is going
somewhere. It’s really that simple”.
Our Adoption Report
Adoptions for our most recent three-month period
include: August - 40 September - 32 October - 25.
Our year-to-date total is 370 cats/kittens.
Young Tyler Wells’ favorite
pastime is playing with foster
kittens at his Aunt Sue’s home.
For his third birthday on October
10, Tyler agreed that instead of
presents he wanted to help the
kitties at Save Our Strays.
Tyler’s friends and family rallied
to the boy’s cause providing our
organization with over $200 in
appreciated donations.
Tyler Wells celebrates his birthday
with Miss Callie.
Anna’s community service project
Anna Wilson, a third grader in Curtis Fundamental
School’s Gifted Program, was assigned to complete a
community service project.
Anna loves cats and has four of her own. Plus she
claims the ones that her grandmother, Cindy Gray,
owns. Cindy has adopted several cats from SOS over
the years. It was a natural for Anna to choose a fundraising project for Save Our Strays.
The Safety Harbor resident sold
SOS T-shirts, catnip mice and
bottled water at a neighborhood
sale. The enterprising young
lady raised over $150 for our
felines.
Anna Wilson collects money for
Save Our Strays at neighborhood
sale.
GoodSearch.com: shop & donate to SOS
Now you can shop on line and donate to your favorite
animal charity at the same time. GoodSearch.com
represents a search engine for hundreds of businesses,
which in turn offer a 2 to 4 percent contribution back to
the charity of the buyer’s choice.
Enter Save Our Strays, Inc.’s mailing address Indian
Rocks Beach in the charity box. Next scroll down and
choose of category for shopping. The link will provide
you with a multitude of stores that list the percentage
that each will donate.
Please support this charitable shopping site. Proceeds
will be sent to SOS monthly.
-5-
Latest contributors
The kitties on this page are
Effective through November 10, 2010
Best of Show Membership ($1,000 or more donation)
Rose Marie Bazzani
Gene & Amelia Cowles
Blue Ribbon Membership ($100 - $999 donation)
Jack & Frances Bargert
Grace Clark
Melanie & David Craig
Ken & Susie Dykes
Jean Enders
Cindy & Sam Gray
John & Katheleen Harrison
Paula Hays
Raylene Hunt
Naomi Malone
Joe & Sue Reina
Regina Vermeulen
Paws Membership
Charlotte
Lily Alcott
Suzanna Bedy
Mary Anne Blackburn
Deborah Brown, from "Stormy, Buddy and Fur"
Diana Cambron
Juanita Cannara
Eileen Daly
Anita Deal
Jerome DeClercq
Judith DiPolito
Joliette Dodd
Doug & Nancy Doll
Ann & Chuck Gibson
Sharon Haynes
Gloria High
Marge & Ray Hill
Aimee: one green
Daniel Hood
eye, one blue eye
Yvonne Huff
Stacy Jones
Janet Korn
Michele LaMontia
Margaret & John Lenz
Barbara Martin
Frances McDermott
Kyle McNeer
Edith Mills
Dorothy Morey
Dr. S Moyers
Karen Mullins
Allan & Gail Nelson
Nancy Oakley
Monte & Mary Palmer
Jason, Jeanne and Lila Potter
Anita Rallo, from "Joey"
Catherine Rasmussen
Jim & Wendy Rexroad
Olivia
Helen Rollins
Lisa Roman, Allstate Giving Campaign
Sapphire Technologies
Katharina Slaght
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looking for forever homes!
Holly Smith and Joann Smith
Sophia S Snyder
Style Lines Hair Salon and Spa
The Cat Hospital on Park Street Inc
Laurel & Robert Thiemann
Kim Triplett
Donald Ulrich
Jo Watson
Chloe Weaver
Stacy Webb
Patricia Wilbur
Winn Technology Group
Ruthe Yow
Lily
In Memory of People
From
Richard Cluttter
Louise Clutter
In Honor of People
From
Donna Johnson &
her furry family
Tyler Wells
Third Birthday
Jannie & Lady Hume
Jeffrey & Pam DiAngelo
Juliet Cate
Carolyn Huffer
Sara & Edward Nicholson
Adria Bernstein Pichardo
Jean Purdy
Sue & David Rountree
Arliss Wells
Arliss & Timothy Wells
Matthew & Christina Wells
Gregg Wilroy
In Memory of Pets
Chris, Baby Bits & Ringo
Dexter & Pooh, brothers
From
Jean Enders
Sharon J Haynes
In Honor of Pets
Buster
From
Patricia Fugman
Special Thanks
Rebecca Brittain Photography offered a special photo
session for pets. Proceeds benefited Save Our Strays.
JonBishopSalons hosted an Open House in October with
proceeds from its fun raffle benefiting Save Our Strays.
Kathleen Donahue has provided face painting for kids at
SOS events with proceeds benefiting our organization.
Unity Church in Clearwater held its Blessing of the Pets in
October with SOS participating in the event.
Liz & Hal Thompson donated three tablecloths for SOS’
display tables at PetSmart Countryside.
Sharon Haynes donated a cat tree, cat beds and other
items.
Ken & Mary Wanner contributed 10 large bags of Science.
Diet cat food.
Walsingham Horseman's Association let Save Our Strays
man its concession stand during the fall horse shows.
Volunteer
Spotlight
Leslee Hall
Leslee Hall laughs, “Who’d have
thought?” when she thinks about
her transformation from living in
the ‘dog show world’ for years to
her committed involvement to
felines now.
When Leslee was growing up in
Chicago, she shared the family
home with a multitude of small,
cuddly pure-bred dogs. Her mom,
a renowned judge and dog
breeder, traveled to dog shows
throughout the country. Leslee
often accompanied her mom
completing her school work along
the way.
Leslee moved to Florida with her
two children in 1989. The career
mom visited Clearwater for the first
time in 1999, fell in love with the
area and relocated to Pinellas
County within four months.
Leslee’s children refer to her as the
"Cat Lady”.
Leslee’s change-of-heart to cats
started in 2006 when a stray
mother cat and her two 4-wk old
kittens took refuge under Leslee’s
home. After calling all the rescue
agencies that she knew to no
avail, Leslee was directed to Save
Our Strays. Leslee became a
temporary foster mother for the trio
and ended up keeping ‘Patches’,
the mother cat and her Siamese
mix daughter, "Sami".
Now four years and 44 fosters
later, Leslee is a captivated feline
lover and a dedicated Save Our
Strays volunteer.
She is Mom to Patches, the
original stray and her daughter, a
Bengal, a Siamese, a Ragdoll, and
Ayre, a rescued Tabby with vision
problems. Two great dogs, Lexiss
(Chocolate Lab) and Ranger
(Vizsla) complete the Hall family.
Leslee volunteers at PetSmart for
SOS several times a month and
participates in our fundraisers. She
hand writes a personal thank you
to each of our contributors. The
detail-oriented
caregiver
also
takes a deep interest in researching and seeking solutions for
puzzling feline health issues.
When she is not volunteering for
Save Our Strays, Leslee enjoys
attending local cat shows.
As a final note, Leslee remarks, “I
highly recommend …. that everyone take time to volunteer for SOS
as the sense of fulfillment and
camaraderie will surpass their
expectations.”
Return envelopes provided courtesy of Pet Food Warehouse, 6155 18th St. No., St. Petersburg, FL, 727 521-6191
Please support Save Our Strays, Inc. I’d like to Join / Volunteer
Name:_________________________________________________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________________City:__________________________
State/Zip:___________________________________________ E-mail address:_____________________
Home Ph:________________
Work Ph:_________________
Cell Ph:_____________________
I would like to contribute toward expenses for special-needs cats; cost of printing newsletter in color.
I want to support Save Our Strays, Inc; enclosed is my gift of:
$10
$25
$50
$100 $250
$500
$1,000 (Corporate/Best of Show)
$______ Other
Interested in volunteering? What would you like to do?
(transport cats, PetSmart on Saturdays, foster a cat or kittens, fundraising, special events, mailings)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Interested in fostering our strays, please phone: 727 481-5262
As a foster home caregiver, you must agree to a home visit prior to fostering for Save Our Strays, Inc. You also must understand
fostering requires a commitment to seeing the process through to adoption which means you could foster a cat for, perhaps, as
long as six months. You also must be able to transport the cat to the veterinarian in Gulfport and to PetSmart for adoption. We
adopt from PetSmart at Largo Mall, Countryside area, and from the Tyrone Blvd. store on Saturdays. See page 2 for times.
(Rev. April 2009)
-7-
Save Our Strays Inc.
NONPROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
St. Petersburg, FL
PERMIT NO. 4033
P.O. Box 373
Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785
Phone: 727 481-5091
727 481-5262
www.saveourstraysinc.com
c
d
Or Current Resident
Our Kitties’ Holiday & New Year Wish List
Sponsor Opportunities
(contributors will be recognized in Spring newsletter)
Provide for
month’s supply of kitty litter for foster family
month’s supply of cat food for foster family
cat’s adoption-ready veterinarian care
Provide postage for bulk mailing of newsletters
Pay for extra funding needed to print newsletter
covers in color.
Feline wants
People needs
$ 20
$ 25
$ 50
$150
$200
Services of CPA for tax purposes
Foster homes
(see pg 7)
Volunteers for PetSmart stores on weekends
Volunteers to transport cats
Grant writers
..Laptop computer to show our
selection of cats at events
Stamps, envelopes
Canopy tent, 10’ x 10’ for fundraising events
..
KMR (kitten milk replacement) & bottles
Canned & dry cat food Canned kitten food
Scoopable clay litter
Pet stain & odor remover
Catnip toys
Kitty condos
Humane traps for feral cats
New bath-sized towels for adoption cages
Happy New Year
from Save Our Strays volunteers and kitties
Please bring items to our space at PetSmart Stores on Saturdays