Photo courtesy of Karma Whitford
Friends in Need
Animal welfare group advocates for measures to curb stray pet population
Though Forgotten 4-Paws has about 15-20 kittens who need homes, older cats make up the bulk of the Pickerington nonprofit’s population.
About 80-90 adult cats, ages 8-14, live in foster homes. Volunteer Lesa Branam of Columbus says the kittens usually get adopted quickly.
“It’s the adults that can take years to get adopted,” Branam says.
Branam, who has volunteered with Forgotten 4-Paws for nine years, says the group’s primary goal is to spay and neuter cats. It has sterilized more than 10,000 since its inception in 1996.
While the group helps cats and dogs, it currently doesn’t have foster homes available for dogs. Only one dog is in a foster home, and he has been there for three years.
Photo courtesy of Karma Whitford
Friends in Need
Adoptable cats stay at about 10 foster homes. Kittens, younger cats and an older cat are usually kept at the Easton PetSmart. Several volunteers also care for feral cat colonies in Pickerington, Canal Winchester and Reynoldsburg, bringing them food daily and building cat houses for them in the fall.
If a cat is feral, Branam says, it’s often best to let it stay in its community outside rather than bring it indoors to find a home. Forgotten 4-Paws works with Shelter Outreach Services of Ohio and other organizations to catch and release cats to get them fixed. A kitten can have its own litter of two to seven kittens when it is just 4 or 5 months old.
The group also tries to help those who want to spay and neuter dogs.
“If everyone would spay or neuter one cat or dog, that would make a difference,” Branam says.
Forgotten 4-Paws doesn’t euthanize unless it’s medically necessary.
“We’ll take care of them until the end,” Branam says.
A majority of cat adoptions have been through the Easton PetSmart, Branam says, where volunteers visit from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Volunteering
Branam found her own way to Forgotten 4-Paws after one of her cats died. Because she wasn’t ready to adopt another, she started volunteering at the Easton PetSmart, cleaning cat cages.
Photo courtesy of Karma Whitford
Friends in Need
Eventually, Branam and her husband fostered kittens. After a year or two, they switched to adults. Now with six cats that they adopted through Forgotten 4-Paws, the family no longer fosters.
Forgotten 4-Paws has a core group of about 25 volunteers, and most are cage cleaners at the Easton PetSmart, Branam says. Another 40 or 50 individuals help with group events. Volunteer activities include cage cleaning at PetSmart, feeding feral cat colonies, assisting with fundraising efforts throughout the year and doing laundry for those who foster. Volunteers do 60-70 loads of laundry per month.
The group is always looking for people who would be interested in fostering, Branam says. Those interested should evaluate how much pet experience they have, and whether they already have pets at home. Spare bedrooms are ideal for new foster pets.
“They need to start in their own space,” Branam says.
Forgotten 4-Paws covers vet expenses for foster pets, and the group can transport animals to the vet if the cats or dogs need to be fixed, get shots or receive other care. The group can also cover the cost of food and litter.
Adoption
Cats have a $75 adoption fee, or individuals can pay $120 for two. Those interested in adoption must fill out an application, and adoptions aren’t done the same day as an inquiry, Branam says. The goal is to find the cats permanent homes. If prospective adopters rent, Forgotten 4-Paws will call the rental agency to make sure the building allows pets.
“We’re very careful,” Branam says.
Photo courtesy of Karma Whitford
Friends in Need
Part of the adoption contract requires owners to contact Forgotten 4-Paws if they’re unable to keep the pet.
“That’s how we end up with so many adults,” Branam says.
Prior to being adopted, cats are tested for HIV and feline leukemia, spayed or neutered, and microchipped. They also receive necessary shots.
Forgotten 4-Paws also discourages declawing. A declawed cat could develop psychological issues or litter box problems, Branam says.
If a person does want to declaw a cat, Forgotten 4-Paws recommends laser declawing. If an individual wants to move ahead with the operation, only a cat’s front paws should be declawed, and the procedure should happen within the animal’s first year, ideally at the same time it’s fixed.
The most rewarding part of volunteering, Branam says, is finding cats permanent homes.
To better target its senior cat population, Forgotten 4-Paws is preparing to roll out a new adoption program for cats aged 8-15 years. This initiative would allow the group to cover the cost of a senior cat’s annual vet visit with one of the vets Forgotten 4-Paws works with.
The group has a senior for senior program, where it waives the adoption fee for a senior citizen who adopts an adult cat. Forgotten 4-Paws also covers annual vet visits and assists those unable to pay for food or litter.
Photo courtesy of Karma Whitford
Friends in Need
About 10-12 cats are in the program. If the cats are unable to be cared for any longer, or if the owner dies, the pets are returned to Forgotten 4-Paws.
Information on adoptable pets can be found on the group’s website, www.forgotten4paws.org. The group also includes courtesy postings for pets that need homes that aren’t affiliated with the group.
Funding
Forgotten 4-Paws depends entirely on donations, Branam says, and is completely volunteer-driven.
“Every little bit makes a difference,” she says.
The majority of donations come from a donation drive in November, when Forgotten 4-Paws sends its donors a holiday letter. Alternative ways of giving can be found on the group’s website and include automated salary deductions and tax-deductible recurring monthly cash donation through PayPal.
Fundraising events also help. In January, Forgotten 4-Paws holds a wine tasting event, and in the spring, the group participates in the Historical National Road Yard Sale.
The group, in partnership with Columbus Running Company, will hold its Run Fur Fun 5K Run/Walk on Oct. 4. The run, held 9 a.m. at the Westerville Sports Complex, is the second one for Forgotten 4-Paws. It also features the Toddler Trot, an 8:40 a.m. 100-meter dash.
Sarah Sole is an editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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