The Ark is currently home to approximately 100 cats. Our numbers go down and then go up just as quickly.
This is definitely going to be a hard winter. Kitten season has now become a reality year round. In the past few weeks we have taken in five injured cats that needed immediate vet care. One of those cats has tested positive for feline AIDS. Yesterday we took in two tiny kittens that were found in a barn.
(Courtesy of Lorraine Monfils)
Every week brings something new. People are contacting us seeking help with vet care for their own personal pets.
We can’t be everything to everyone. We wish we could help everyone reaching out for help, but we can’t. We don’t have a lot of money and we can’t pay your vet bills. The stories we hear are heartbreaking, and it is not easy to say no. We have our limits and we have to take care of the animals that we have committed to.
Vet care is expensive and everyone needs to plan for that. While I realize living situations and circumstances change and life can get a little crazy, you are in the driver’s seat and it is up to you to navigate those changes. We are here as an informational resource for you, not a financial one.
The work we do is at times very rewarding, but can also be very draining and emotionally exhausting. We are a group of individuals committed to making a difference in the lives of animals. When we have a bad day, we look at all of the faces of those who are depending on us and we smile, because we are making a difference one life at a time and we find a way to make sure those in our care get what they need.
Thank you for your continued support and, as always, thank you for reading our column.
The Ark Animal Sanctuary is located at 102 Old Woodstock Rd., Houlton. Visit them online at arkanimalsanctuary.org/home, call 532-7387 or check out their Facebook page.
