Alley Cat Advocates has continued to provide Trap-Neuter-Return services to your community cats throughout the tumult of the last six weeks. We are happy to be on the list of essential businesses allowed to operate and would not want it any other way.
Here is how we have adjusted to the new, restricted normal and what we see the future bringing. And, just as importantly, here is how you can help.
CDC Recommendations
We have been able to implement social distancing measures in all our processes involving the public. We care deeply about our caretakers, staff, and volunteers and are confident that we have successfully implemented all recommendations. We continue to tweak our processes as those recommendations change.
Our use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is minimal and we have had no need to secure additional supplies in the past 6 weeks. Aside from now using cloth masks made by volunteers – thank you so much! – we have made no adjustments to our surgical processes and continue to follow all best practice standards.
Staff Reductions/Layoffs
Because calls for our services dropped dramatically over the past 6 weeks, unfortunately, staff changes needed to be made. Two staff members were laid off and six staff members were furloughed to 8 hours a week rather than their typical 40 hours a week.
We appreciate, all the more, the volunteers who have felt safe coming to fill some of the gaps. Their dedication to the cats and our work is humbling.
Moving Forward
As calls for service increase, we will increase hours of work for our awesome staff in order to meet those demands. And we will welcome back those volunteers that we miss!
Having just moved into our wonderful new Community Cat Complex, the impact of COVID-19 has been a gut punch to us and the cats we serve. While we are spaying or neutering an average of 30+ cats per week, our goal was to be altering 150 a week by April. We know there are enough cats to meet this goal and we are preparing for the time – that we already see starting – when a flood of calls come in for our assistance.
That is where you come in. We are absolutely in need of your support now more than ever. As we bring staffing up to full strength – as demand dictates – we will need your dollars more than ever to continue to offer no cost surgeries to Jefferson County residents and very, very low-cost surgeries to our neighboring counties. This is not the time to increase the price of our surgeries. It is the time to reach out to you and ask for your continued support.
Please help us come back as strong, or stronger, than ever!
We AND the cats thank you.
With awesome appreciation,
Karen Little
Executive Director