CLAWS in Ellicottville Needs Your Help
CLAWS in Ellicottville Needs Your Help
Donations Requested to Help Care For and Control Stray Cat Population
The average mature cat can have 3 litters with a total of 12 kittens per year. Out of those litters of kittens, about 4.7 of them are females, which in turn means they will most likely have litters of their own. In 7 years, that can amount to 420,000 kittens!
Allow me to introduce you to CLAWS. CLAWS is an acronym created by Calla Lee Wagner for Cats Lives Are Worth Saving. Before CLAWS there was Betsy Peyser (Betsy’s Consignments) who, with help from Calla Lee and her mom, Teresa Mercer (Rover Makeovers) were the go-to folks when stray cats were a problem in the community.
Since about ten years ago, Melanie Pritchard (ERA Team VP Real Estate) joined the group and together they founded CLAWS and added her hands to the challenge of keeping stray cats and kittens fed and ultimately trapped, taken to a vet to be checked over, immunized - including against feline leukemia and LIV (the feline equivalent of human HIV), neutered or spayed. With luck, homes are found, or they are released knowing they won’t multiply.
Betsy tells us that presently there are two feeding stations set up in the village for the strays, but they are losing one in the center of town. The house has been sold and renovations will begin, removing the station. More than one feeding station is needed, so Betsy has asked that we put out the call for anyone who might have a shop or under porch area in the village where strays could come to be fed. She suggested anywhere around Monroe Street or EBC so the displaced cats will be able to find it. A feeding box/shelter is provided, the cats are fed every evening and winter snow is cleared around them. They are well tended.
As I heard the story, I began to wonder why anyone would do this, uncompensated, for such a long time. As Betsy tells it, when she returned from Colorado some thirty years ago, she noticed stray cats in a barn across the street and decided to do something to care for them. Perhaps caring for strays is like eating potato chips where you just can’t stop with one. That, and she said she couldn’t stand by and not do anything for those homeless creatures. Next thing she knew she was feeding and rescuing cats and finding homes for kittens. She acquired a live trap and started trapping those that looked in need of help and took them to the vet to get whatever else they needed. And yes, she footed the bills. About ten years ago, Melanie Prichard came onboard. Being involved in animal rescue most of her life, she also leads with her heart and an open checkbook.
The team acknowledged that they needed a fundraiser to support their feeding stations, their trapping, and their vet bills. The Rotary offered them the hall for the event, the village of Ellicottville bought them four Have-A-Heart traps, and many of our local businesses and restaurants donated food and prizes for the affair. The community was supportive of the cause, and they were able to bank money to keep their cat charity going.
But that was several years ago, and the stray cats keep having kittens in a continual cycle.
No one wants unhealthy stray cats in the neighborhood. There will always be stray cats because unneutered and unspayed strays multiply. This community owes a debt of gratitude to these women who have carved out large portions of their lives to rescue and care for community strays, any time, any season. And, oh yes, when asked the cost of care per cat, it ranges between $200 and $500, not including food. Throughout the years they have rescued 50 to 60 cats, not to mention the ones that they have kept. Add that up, why don’t you?
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
In speaking with Melanie, she had a few suggestions for our readers. She strongly urges people who have pet cats (even if indoor cats) to have them immunized, chipped, and spayed or neutered. “If you have one cat at home, please consider making room for a second,” said Melanie. “Older cats need homes and love, too. It is honorable to open your home.” She also recommends Catios and full cat enclosures or cat fencing made by purrfectfence.com which makes it impossible for cats to scale and get over.
It is time for another fundraiser. If anyone is interested in helping to organize a fundraiser for CLAWS, please reach out to Melanie Pritchard at 716-480-8409 or Betsy Peyser at 716-699-6131. In the meantime, monetary donations can be made by writing a check to CLAWS and mailing it to Melanie at PO Box 1061, Ellicottville, NY 14731. If you notice a stray cat in your neighborhood for more than a few days, you can contact Betsy or Melanie. And please remember that when they rescue the cat, they will be paying vet bills, so please offer a donation if you are able.
CLAWS wants to thank their amazing and selfless donors who step up to the plate when called. They especially want to thank Laurie and Dr. Timothy O’Leary of Almost Home Animal Sanctuary in Little Valley for their unwavering generosity and support.