An interview with LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. from Dayton, Ohio.
Table Of Content
- Introducing LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc.
- How did LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Start? What Are The Challenges Encountered Along The Way?
- Tell Us About The Most “Unusual” Animal That LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Has Ever Taken.
- Tell Us About The Most Unique And Creative Fundraising Campaigns That LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Has Done.
- Tell Us About The Most Rewarding Part Of Running LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc.
- What Do You Think Might Be The Greatest Challenge Of Running LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc.?
- Tell Us More About The Volunteers In LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc.
- Where Do Most Of The Animals In LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Come From, And What Is The Process For Rescuing And Rehabilitating Them?
- What Are The Busiest Periods, And How Does LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Cope?
- What Animals Does LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Focus On?
- Working With The Local Community
- Tell Us More About Your Events
- What Is Done Differently at LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc.?
- How Has LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Adapted To The Challenges Presented By The Pandemic?
- Share With Us Some Of The Heartwarming Stories Of Animals Rehabilitated And Rehomed By LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc.
- What Are The Help Needed From The Local Community?
- Connect With LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. here:
Introducing LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc.
My name is Holly Clawson. I am the director/founder of LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc.
How did LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Start? What Are The Challenges Encountered Along The Way?
I am the founder and have been involved in animal welfare since I started volunteering in my small-town shelter at age 11. When moving with the military (my husband is a veteran), I was always involved with a shelter or rescue. When we got to Dayton Oh, I was involved with another rescue, but it wasn’t what I was looking for, so I set out to start my own. Getting funding was a challenge. You need funding to even apply for non-profit status. Any new rescue is regarded with skepticism. Keeping a good name with both adopters and the veterinarians we work with is essential. We were fortunate enough to have several PetSmart locations where we adopt cats.
Tell Us About The Most “Unusual” Animal That LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Has Ever Taken.
We only take in cats, but we have been called on dogs, wildlife (big birds like hawks or eagles, lol) are often called in. The most trying case would probably be Possum. He had MANY issues coming in at about 5 weeks, had to be tube fed for over a month, and syringe fed almost another month. Everyone was rooting for him. I knew that long life wasn’t in the cards, but his death at only 5 ½ months was pretty devastating.
Tell Us About The Most Unique And Creative Fundraising Campaigns That LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Has Done.
We have done Yoga with Cats a couple of times, and restaurants sponsor evenings where a % of proceeds go to us. Fundraising is always a challenge for smaller, all-volunteer organizations like ours. We rarely have the extra time and/or energy to take on all these events entail. It all goes into the animals.
Tell Us About The Most Rewarding Part Of Running LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc.
We have some AMAZING volunteers who want to make a difference. Watching each one gain confidence is such a joy. Many go on to find kitties they want to help on their own, and we back them. Seeing cats/kittens that would not have had a chance go on to be adopted into wonderful homes is the goal. That is made possible because of these volunteers; we have had several moves away and go on to other rescues and shelters and make a difference there. I love that!
Ultimately, getting pictures and updates is just wonderful, especially knowing what each one has gone through to get there!
What Do You Think Might Be The Greatest Challenge Of Running LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc.?
Most animal rescuers will tell you it is the people that are the biggest challenge. When you tell someone you don’t have space, and they yell at you, threaten to harm the animal, etc., it is gut-wrenching. Accepting that you can’t help them all is probably the hardest.
Tell Us More About The Volunteers In LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc.
That would be difficult to say. They each have gifts that help in a specific situation. Our assistant director Liz Ellis has been a HUGE asset since joining us about 3 years ago. She helps run everything, and having been raised on computers, has helped us get more organized on that front. We have another, Trisha Kremer, who is very gifted with the scared ones. Her calm gets so many to relax and learn to trust humans again.
Where Do Most Of The Animals In LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Come From, And What Is The Process For Rescuing And Rehabilitating Them?
Most of our cats come in as strays. We often take larger groups of 10-30 (we try to, once a year, take all of the cats on a kill shelter euthanasia list), we’ve taken 15 dumped at a park, 12 left in a Rubbermaid container, 12 from a nursing home, and recently, 18 dropped off at a local woman’s home. We do that fairly often.
What Are The Busiest Periods, And How Does LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Cope?
Summer is ALWAYS the busiest during the kitten season. We won’t take more than we can handle, and if a foster needs a break, we give them as long as they need. Burnout is a constant killer in the joy of the work we do. Self-care is crucial and encouraged.
What Animals Does LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Focus On?
We only work with cats and primarily adoptable ones. We do TNR (trap, neuter, return) of feral cats when time allows, with about 100 done in any given year. I usually try to take in at least 1 feral mama a year, so that her kittens can be tamed and adopted. The mother is completely vetted, and either goes back to where she came from, if it is safe, or a barn home is found for her.
Working With The Local Community
We work with many like-minded organizations. Some are TNR groups that ask us to take friendly cats and kittens when we can. We have several rescues that are on one Messenger thread. We put animals on there that need placement, and all try to find what works; if we can’t take it in. They are a great group of people.
Tell Us More About Your Events
We will have our Kitten Shower to help us get ready for the impending deluge of kittens we will inevitably take in. (We usually average about 500 adoptions a year)
We publish our Amazon Wish List
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3RCDF5AQ7ZJMR?ref_=wl_share
What Is Done Differently at LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc.?
Most groups can’t take in the larger groups or really sick ones. We have that capability.
How Has LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. Adapted To The Challenges Presented By The Pandemic?
It was a real challenge for us because vet clinics closed down for almost 3 months. No spay/neuter surgeries were allowed.
Keeping our volunteers safe from the virus was also a challenge. We eventually found what worked for us, and luckily have very adaptable volunteers!
Last summer, I was alerted to kittens living in the courtyard of a local nursing home. Conditions were not good, and previous kittens born there; always seemed to disappear, mostly from predation. There were 12 kittens and 5 feral mamas. The kittens had been eating dirt because they were so hungry. They were very frail and pretty unwell. All 12 pulled through and were adopted. We trapped 3 of the 5 mamas, and they were spayed as well. The other 2 will be done soon.
Another group of 15 was dumped in a local wooded park. It was 90°outside at that time. With some help from the woman who found them, we got them all (and some poison ivy, lol) 14; of those survived and were adopted.
What Are The Help Needed From The Local Community?
We ALWAYS need good foster homes, supplies, and financial support. As will most rescues, we run on donations.
Connect With LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. here:
Phone: 937-620-9281
Wondrousdrifter.com is thankful to LiFeline Cat Rescue and Network Inc. for the interview.
Check out this page for the list of animal shelters in Dayton, Ohio.
