HSLC is thrilled to be part of Newk’s Eatery’s #FeedWhatMatters campaign.

Thursday, July 18th  from 11 am to 1 pm

Newk’s Eatery  recently opened a new location in Sterling, VA  at 46515 Harry Byrd Highway, in the Shoppes at Potomac Corner. On July 18th Newk’s is hosting a Community Pep Rally Fundraiser at this new location where we will compete for a chance to win a $2,000 donation. Stop by the restaurant from 11 – 1 pm to help us get the largest attendance and win.

They serve yummy sandwiches, soups, salads, pizzas, and more. So come on out on July 18^th between 11 am and 1 pm to support HSLC. The donation winner will be announce at 2 pm.

 

Please note: It can be a little challenging to get into the new Shoppes at Potomac Corner center if you are not familiar with the area. It is located at the corner of Potomac View Road and Rt 7 but there is no left turn into the center from Potomac View Road.

• If coming East on Rt 7 you need to pass Potomac View Road and turn right directly into the center.
• If coming West on Rt 7 you need to pass Potomac View Road and turn left on Bartholomew Fair Dr, as if going to Potomac Run Plaza, then right on Benedict Dr and left on Potomac View Road – then you can turn right into the Shoppes at Potomac Corner.

Guest Blog by ‘Becca Dinger-Tedder, Kitten Coordinator, CICC

Here at Chincoteague Island Community Kittens, we like a plan. We REALLY like a plan. Lists, timelines, schedules, guidelines, information packets, calendars, reference books— the oversized desk at “CICK Headquarters” is covered with a million resources and pages and pages of “what ifs.” We try to be ready for whatever might pop up.

But sometimes what happens isn’t on one of your lists. Isn’t on your radar. And you can’t plan for it. Sometimes you don’t even know what you should be planning FOR.

And sometimes, just sometimes…a plan doesn’t so much get “planned” as it “happens, thank goodness.”

During our June 2019 TNR clinic, we had an unexpected intake issue arise: 15 unsocialized kittens, kittens we did not have placement or resources for. These were the “wild child” group that we were so desperately looking to transport to Alexandria. As a result of connections (hi, Jen and Sharon!) made during that transport, those 15 kittens (and CICC) were fortunate to cross paths with the Humane Society of Loudoun County.

HSLC has a foster network that has a TON of experience with socializing feral kittens, and they asked to take on our 15 “wild children” to see if they could work with them. They assumed custody of the group and have been working with them, both for social issues and medical issues. They have invested much time, funding, and love into this group already. Many of the kittens have already moved into foster homes to try to learn how to become polite family members.

The Wild Child June 2019 Contingent received an amazing gift thanks to HSLC–a second chance. We could not be more grateful for this lucky break for these kittens, and for the kindness they have received from Humane Society of Loudoun County volunteers and staff.

From the bottom of our kitten-loving hearts: thank you.

(Photos courtesy of Sharon Nylec, and Julie Brommer, used with permission.)

Four enterprising Rock Ridge High School students (Vibha Mathew, Siddra Ahson, Tashnuva Huda, and Sonia Corba) chose to create videos of HSLC foster cats as their Capstone project to help them find their forever homes.

The purpose of the Rock Ridge High School Phoenix Capstone is to provide graduates of Rock Ridge with meaningful experiences, self-fulfillment, and opportunities for post-secondary success through civic engagement and career exploration. During fourth quarter, qualifying seniors are excused from classes in order to pursue a community service project or career development opportunity. Community service projects can range from hands-on experiences to administrative work. Students have discretion in choosing their project, as long as the project will provide an authentic experience.

HSLC provided contact information for a few of our foster volunteers who had agreed to participate in the project. It was up to the students to make contact and schedule the time to spend time with the cats to make the videos and then to edit them into the finish products. “The foster homes we visited had multiple cats that were considered hard to adopt. We brought our own cat toys to engage the cats and show their real personalities.”

“These cats are usually shy and nervous at adoption events. Going to foster homes and creating these videos really helps to show the cats in their own environment.”

The videos they created are really spectacular.

 

 

Loudoun County High School students Teagan Oliver, Bella & John Wolcott, Rachel Reppert, Ashley Rubino chose to work with HSLC this year to “impact our local animals in and outside of rescue shelters. With this in mind, we decided to build cat cots and feeding colonies.”

The purpose of the Raider Outreach Program is to provide Loudoun County High School seniors with the opportunity to better themselves and the community through civic engagement. After AP exams, qualifying seniors are excused from academic classes to conduct a community service project. Students must complete a total of 65 hours at their host site over the three-week allotted time.

HSLC provided the necessary plans and the students calculated they needed to raise over $200 for the supplies to complete their project. “We decided to have a bake sale at the Giant in Leesburg, and each of our team members baked goods to give to customers with their donations. Within 2 days of fundraising we exceeded our goal and raised $233.82.”

With the help of Home Depot to cut the wood and PVC pipes, Lowe’s for the paint and PVC pipe connectors, and Joann Fabrics for the vinyl material for the cots, the students successfully made two cat cots and two colony feeder stations.

“It amazed us how five people coming together and working towards a common goal for just a short two weeks can impact the community and its animals in such a positive way. Our actions not only benefited the jobs of Loudoun Humane Society members, but the lives of the rescue and wild cats as well.”

 

The fifth grade classes at Sanders Corner Elementary School completed a service project at the end of May with the goal of raising awareness of homeless animals and collecting pet food for the Loudoun Pet Pantry and Humane Society of Loudoun County.

The students colored “pet rocks” with pictures of animals and messages that encouraged people to remember there are homeless animals that need to be adopted. The rocks included messages like “Life is better with a pet” and “Adopt a pet, they will make your life brighter”. The students then placed the rocks around the school, in their neighborhoods, and in parks where they would be on display for people to see.

The students also collaborated to make posters for animals that were listed for adoption on the HSLC website. Those posters and some of the rocks were displayed at a booth at the Ashburn Farm HOA Summer Kickoff event. Donations were also collected at the event.

Finally, the students held a donation drive to collect pet food for the Pet Pantry and Humane Society of Loudoun County. The students competed to collect donations for the activity they wanted the whole class to do. The activity with the most donations was Students vs Teachers Kickball. In total, about 300 pounds of pet food was collected during the week.

 

Career and Technical Education students at Blue Ridge Middle School (BRMS) created a project to benefit the Loudoun Pet Pantry.  The pet pantry is a partnership between The Humane Society of Loudoun County, Loudoun County Animal Services, and Loudoun Hunger Relief. It helps keep pets in loving homes by providing food supplies to families in need.

Students in all three grades collaborated on a Pet Food Drive called Bulldog’s BFF after the school’s mascot. Sixth grade Keyboarding students designed promotional posters. Seventh grade Family and Consumer Sciences students made cat toys. Seventh grade TechEd students created the logo to brand the campaign. Lastly, eighth grade manufacturing students created food bowl holders.

During the week of May 13, BRMS students brought in dog and cat food along with pet supplies to donate to the Loudoun Pet Pantry.  Subsequently, Juanita Easton, President, accepted these donations on behalf of The Humane Society of Loudoun County on June 5.

HSLC is deeply grateful to the students, faculty and administration of Blue Ridge Middle School for helping the animals of Loudoun County. To host a pet food drive at your school, organization or community, please visit our website for help in getting started.

Moreover, you can drop off dog and cat food donations to one of several donation boxes located across the county. The Loudoun Pet Pantry accepts canned and dry cat and dog food. Dry food must be unopened, unexpired, non-prescription adult food. We cannot use kitten, puppy, or senior food for the pet pantry. Because space is limited, we can only use bags of dry food between 4 and 8 pounds. However, we can use all sizes of canned food.

By Valerie Burton
May 4, 2019

Starlite. Sis. Jenny. Nutmeg. Four beautiful girls with one thing in common: the stunning red and black shades of their fur which identifies them as Tortoiseshells (popularly known as Torties), so-called because their coloring resembles the shell of a tortoise. The color combination is rarer than most other cat coat colorings, and can vary with shades of gold, orange, brown, and cream.

Tortoiseshell cats have been a timeless source of fascination for fans of the feline species. A wide variety of books and articles explore their special features. For example, most Torties are female, as the genetic links for their coloring are in the female chromosomes.

In fact, male Torties are so rare (1 in 3,000), beliefs have grown around their unique powers, according to Ingrid King, author of Tortitude: The BIG Book of Cats with a BIG Attitude. “Ancient Celts believed it was good luck if a male tortoiseshell cat stayed in their home, and Japanese fishermen believed the males protected their ships from ghosts.” The author further states, “It’s said that tortoiseshell cats bring money, have psychic abilities, and see into the future. And if you dream about one, you’ll be lucky in love.”

These may be high expectations to place on a cat, but Torties are up for the challenge! Perhaps because of their legendary powers, female Torties have acquired a distinct reputation: as feisty, loud, reincarnated princesses—a personality sometimes defined as having “Tortitude.” They may at times be fiery, strong-willed, and vocal about their preferences. But just as a book cannot be judged by its cover, a cat’s personality cannot be defined by its color.

Jackson Galaxy, star of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell, states in an article for www.catster.com, “I hate generalizing about cat coats or breeds, or anything like that, in terms of assigning a personality to a cat. That being said, cats like torties, calicos, and orange tabbies tend to have a much more distinct personality, in my opinion.”

Is Tortitude for real, or is it just another myth that has risen around these red and black beauties? According to HSLC foster Stephanie, it depends. She began fostering both Sis and Starlite over the past six months, and their unique personalities are part of what have endeared them to her and convinced her they’d be great additions to lucky forever families.

“Starlite wasn’t in my foster room that long mainly because she would take her adorably tiny paws and slide them under the opening in the door and shake the door to let me know she wanted out. She is a very curious girl and very vocal. So I decided to let her out and watch how she reacted. Right away she found my own cat, a boy tabby, and they immediately became best friends. They wrestle, sleep together, and groom each other. She loves to explore the house and check everything out. Whatever you’re doing, she stands and watches you.”

Is she high-spirited and determined—in other words, does she display Tortitude? According to Stephanie, “The moment you sit or lay down she will immediately run to you to get her loving and back scratches in. She’s very vocal about wanting to be petted and will jump up beside you and meow until you pet her.”

Shortly after Starlite, Sis arrived from a high-kill shelter. She loves being around the other cats in Stephanie’s home, and as for the people, “She will come up to you and cuddle next to you and loves to get the top of her head and ears scratched. Sis is very sweet and calm. At almost six years old she still loves to play with toys and has kitten-like behavior. She’s very tiny and has a little grumpy face. But don’t let the grumpy face fool you—she is full of love and she really is sweet!”

As for Tortitude, Stephanie describes Starlite as “definitely a diva!” while Sis is “a mama’s girl.” She believes they will flourish when given the opportunity to live in loving homes. “Both cats have a lot of love to give and need a family who is willing to be their safe place.”

Whether or not their future families experience the abundance or protection Torties have been mythically purported to provide, one thing is certain: by welcoming a Tortie into your home, you are guaranteed to be lucky in love, because these cats will deliver a lifetime of fun, loyalty, and companionship.

All of the cats available for adoption through HSLC are vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and microchipped. Please see our website (www.humaneloudoun.org) for information on Starlite, Sis, Jenny, Nutmeg, and other cats available for adoption. Interested adopters can arrange a meet and greet. Please contact us at helpanimals@humaneloudoun.org.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” 

~Margaret Mead

It takes a dedicated team of volunteers to make our Community Cats program a success. Over the past week, our amazing TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) volunteers have been working to help a gentleman who had become overwhelmed with what we all thought were about 40 unfixed cats on his property. He didn’t know where to turn for help until someone referred him to the Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC).

Our goal was to humanely trap the community cats and have them microchipped, vaccinated and neutered to stabilize the population and stop the proliferation of feral kittens. Unchecked, the population of this colony would have expanded exponentially very, very quickly.

Timeline to Date

Sunday, April 7  – Over a dozen intrepid volunteers spent about 10 long hours trapping 35 community cats. Our team worked together to set and place the traps, organize the cats, label the traps and get the paperwork ready for their surgery (spay or neuter) the next day.

Tuesday, April 9 – We returned most of the cats to the site and our volunteers trapped more cats while they were there.

Friday, April 12  – We returned the second group of cats and trapped additional cats as well.

To date, we have trapped 51 community cats at this site, with several more left to get. We also think there are at least three litters of kittens born within the past week that we will try to find and trap when they are about five weeks or so old, along with the moms.

By the time we are finished, we will have helped 60-70 cats and kittens at this one site. This is the biggest site at which HSLC has ever performed a TNR operation. We are so grateful to our great team of volunteers without whom we never would have been able to get so many cats so quickly.  Thanks to them, the kittens from this colony will find safe, loving  forever homes and the community cats returned to the site will live longer and healthier lives.

Please check out our photo galleries below compliments of Marty McKee and Julia Grosz (aka the Cat Hustler). Click on the photos to enlarge them. And, be sure to scroll to the end to learn how you can help control the pet population in Loudoun County.

TNR Operation

Community Cats

How You Can Help

• Donate: The price-tag for neutering, vaccinating and microchipping dozens of community cats is literally in the thousands. Each donation adds up and is greatly appreciated.
• Kitten Care: Just like human babies, kittens require a lot of food and supplies. Visit our amazon.com wish list for a current list of needed items.
• Spay/Neuter: Encourage friends, family and neighbors to spay/neuter their pets. There are many low-cost Spay/Neuter options available in Loudoun County and in communities all across the country.
• Foster: Since HSLC has no physical shelter, we rely on individuals to open their hearts and homes to at-risk animals. Our foster program has the most direct impact of saving lives of any of our programs.

Donate a vehicle to benefit HSLC

Simply CLICK HERE to begin the process.

How the Vehicle Donation Process Works

Schedule the Vehicle Pick up

In some areas, the ability to schedule the vehicle for pick up during your initial contact is possible. In all other cases you will be contacted within 2-3 business days to set a convenient appointment time for pick up.  The vehicle will be picked up by a licensed tow company at no cost to you and will be taken to a sale location. You will be provided a Donation Receipt by the tow driver at the time of pick up.

The Donated Vehicle is Sold

The vehicle will be taken to a sales location and evaluated. When it is cost-effective, major and/or minor mechanical repairs will be made. Auction houses are used sell the majority of vehicles. The goal is to ensure that HSLC receives the maximum amount of money for each vehicle donation that they receive. All Necessary Tax Deduction Receipts and Forms Provided

All Necessary Tax Deduction Receipts and Forms Provided

Within 30 days of the sale of the donated vehicle, you will receive a thank you letter which you may use as a tax receipt. This may be your only receipt if your vehicle sells for $500 or less. If your donated vehicle sells for more than $500, you will be emailed an additional receipt known as “IRS Form 1098-C, Contributions of Motor Vehicles, Boats, and Airplanes” if your tax identification number has been provided.

Feral cats, community cats, wild cats, stray cats — we have many names for the mysterious felines we sometimes see peeking out from under our porch, darting into abandoned buildings, or slithering into a sewer drain. Yet most of them share a single destiny: short, difficult lives.

Fortunately, helping feral or abandoned cats isn’t difficult. But it’s important that you do something and not just turn the other way.  

A female cat can become pregnant as young as 16 weeks of age and go on to have two or three litters a year, so the feral cat population — and the problems associated with it — grows and perpetuates. In just a couple of years a single female cat and her kittens can produce dozens of cats.

You’ve spotted a cat running down your block. Now what? You want to help, but what can you do?

The first rule of helping stray cats: hands off!

Don’t go chasing after him right then and there.  It’s unlikely you’ll catch him but it is likely that you’ll frighten him.  Even if you do manage to get close enough, you’ll be risking serious injury if you attempt to grab him.  A scared cat can inflict a lot of damage very quickly.

The second rule of helping stray cats: play detective.

Is this a pet cat who was recently lost? A stray cat who has been on his own for a time but warms up to people once he gets to know them? Is he a neighbor’s cat who goes in and out? A feral cat who by nature is wary of people and prefers living outside a traditional home?  Look for an ear-tip on the left ear to signify to humane trappers and the public that this cat has already been altered and likely being cared for as part of a feral colony.

To find out, ask neighbors and other people in the immediate area if they know anything about the cat.  Did he just arrive or has he been seen around for some time?  Is anyone feeding him, providing shelter or even letting him in their house?  Does he have a collar and tags?  Has anyone posted “lost cat” signs?
Contact the local animal shelter to see if he has been reported lost.  

How to help a friendly cat

If it turns out kitty is lost, then of course you’ll want to contact his owner and return him.  If he’s a friendly stray, then probably he lived in a home at one time and might be adoptable.  Ask for assistance from HSLC (email helpanimals@humaneloudoun.org) or someone experienced in handling cats. 

Caring for feral cats

If your neighborhood cat is feral, or it doesn’t seem like he’s ever lived in a home, then he likely isn’t adoptable, but he can stay outdoors while you provide food and shelter.

But the most important rule for caring for feral cats: fix them, fast.

HSLC has a Community Cat Program and employs a policy called Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) to help maintain the number and health of current populations of Community Cat colonies. By using a system of humane trapping, HSLC volunteers will trap the cats, transport them to local vets to be altered (spayed or neutered), get a rabies vaccination, microchip, ear-tip and address any immediate medical needs as applicable.  Cats are then returned to their home/colony after a short period of recovery.  

The HSLC Community Cats (feral) program is funded by donations from our community.  The program is free to the public because HSLC does not want anyone to be afraid to ask for help due to financial considerations. 

Click here for more information and to submit a request for TNR assistance.
https://humaneloudoun.org/what-we-do/community-cat-program/

When you find kittens

Kittens should stay with Mom until they are 6 – 8 weeks old and eating solid food. When you find kittens be absolutely sure the mom is no longer caring for them before you remove them. Mom may be hunting for food or still be nearby. Contact HSLC for information and help.

If you are not located in the Loudoun County, Virginia area, check with local rescues about TNR programs or contact Ally Cat Allies https://www.alleycat.org/

If there’s one feral cat living in your neighborhood, it’s very likely others are there too. Take a look around, and talk with your neighbors about how you can all work together to help them.