My name is Shelley Thayer. I am the Executive Director at Cat Depot, an amazing nonprofit, no-kill rescue, adoption, education and resource center in Sarasota, FL. I invite everyone to visit our new "free roaming" facility at 2542 17th Street, Sarasota, FL. And, yes, it is true that we are adding a room to our building. It is an education center for community outreach programs for children and adults to teach education and kindness to animals. Which we hope in turn, will promote kindness to each other.
How is this possible? The facility along with the education center was built as the result of the enormous compassion and generosity of a local couple who wanted to save lives.
Since my arrival a year ago, we have moved into this wonderful state-of-the-art facility. Our volunter base has grown from 250 volunteers to over 900 volunteers. We have doubled our adoption efforts to save lives, and in 2010 our goal is to place 1,000 once homeless cats into loving homes.
We have reached out to Sarasota and Manatee Counties and are currently working with numberous local and national organizations as well as individuals. We participated with the ASPCA, Maddie's Foundation, HSUS and American Humane to help rescue cats from locations that are now under investigation for cruelty to animals. We have helped people from New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and numerous areas throughout Florida, including individual rescue workers in our area. People have asked why we would help anyone outside our county when so many animals in our backyard are in need. Our answer? There are felines everywhere who need help. The majority of our efforts are concentrated in two counties. Approximately 50% of our cats come out of Sarasota County and return to Sarasota County and 40% come from and go back to Manatee County. The other 10% come from areas outside of these two counties and from situations where the cats may be euthanized without our help.
No county in the U.S. is protected from the discovery of hoarders, or small private sanctuaries or large rescue groups that started with wonderful intentions but found themselves over their heads. The devastation for the animals if often and unfortunately, a slow cruel dealth. If some day such a discovery is made in our county, I hope that other organizations will help us.
I often tell our small hard working staff that "it's not about the building," it's what we do with the building that makes a difference in so many lives - the public's, our volunteer's, and our grateful cats and kittens, whose fear has dissipated and hungry stomachs have been fed.
It is true that I have a marketing background which I am grateful for when it comes to raising needed funds to rescue and care for inujured and suffering animals. Cat Depot relies on private donations and memberships to keep this magnificent facility operating month after month. I appreciate every dedicated volunteeer, every donation, every membership, and every person who gets up early or goes to bed late to make a difference in the life of these deserving felines.
Do I keep smiling? You bed I do. Because I'd like to believe that there is hope and that together, we can make a positive difference for animals in need.
That's why I do what I do every day. I believe in our staff and in our volunteers and all those people we have helped, or wish we could have helped if we had more funding or room. Most of all, I believe in Cat Depot and know that we are blessed to have this caring organization.
Again, I invite everyone to come "see for themselves." If you have any questions, you can call me at (941) 366.2404 or email me at Shelleyt@catdepot.org. Thank you for helping the animals.
