The sanctuary is home to more than 100 cats. Many of those have special needs.
We have three diabetic cats that require insulin twice a day. There is one cat with hypothyroidism that requires thyroid meds twice a day. We have seven cats that have feline AIDS, and five — soon to be eight — that have leukemia. There are two cats that have Manx syndrome, and because of that we have to express their bladders twice a day. There is one cat that has cerebellar hypoplasia, which is a brain disorder. The list goes on.
(Courtesy of Lorraine Monfils)
The reason I am telling you all of this is because we are not your typical shelter. We are a no-kill sanctuary that takes on the special-needs cats — cats that have absolutely no other alternative.
These cats require extra vet care, some require special diets, and all require love, patience and understanding.
We have approximately 60 feral cats that found their way to our door and we have given them a home for life. Most places do TNR: trap, neuter and release. We do not. Our cats are not in cages; they are in rooms with access to outdoor catios. They have all the amenities. They also have the best vet care.
Keep in mind we do all of this with no town or state funding. We do not contract with towns. All of our monies come from donations, fund raising and grants. We have no paid employees, only volunteers. We are a group of people committed to making a difference in the lives of animals.
We have maximized every square foot of our building and we have run out of room. We have brainstormed, and the easiest and least expensive way to get more room would be to buy an Amish building. In today’s world, with the rising costs of everything, we know that is not going to be an easy task. We welcome any suggestions or ideas that you might have.
We are also looking for fundraising ideas.
Our work would not be possible without your generosity and support.
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.
