ASPCA Assists Partner Agencies in Finding Homes for Nearly 300 Cats Rescued from Caboodle Ranch during Weekend Adoption Events

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) assisted multiple local animal welfare groups in Florida to find homes for nearly 300 cats during three major adoption events on August 11 and 12. Events hosted by the Jacksonville Humane Society, Cat Depot and Humane Society of Pinellas (with assistance from Bay Area DART) drew more than 1,600 people to cities across the Sunshine state to adopt hundreds of cats rescued in late February from Caboodle Ranch, a not-for-profit corporation located in Lee, Fla.

"The ASPCA is extremely grateful to these rescue groups who worked tirelessly to find loving homes for the cats and made the adoption events a success," said Tim Rickey, senior director of ASPCA Field Investigations and Response. "Thanks to the dedication of these wonderful groups and support from the communities, these cats are sleeping in new beds—in places they truly can call home—for the first time in their lives."

All available cats, many of which have special needs, were spayed/neutered, micro-chipped, vaccinated, and provided an ID tag free of charge to qualified adopters.

Since February 27, hundreds of ASPCA responders have been managing the sheltering, medical treatment and behavior enrichment of cats rescued from unsanitary conditions at Caboodle Ranch. Many of the cats exhibited signs of neglect, and responders have provided much-needed care to bring the cats back to health. Following the civil hearing, the cats were transferred to the three agencies that hosted the adoption events to provide a second chance for these rescued animals.

"We are thrilled with the overall support from animal lovers who came out to adopt, and now we look forward to helping our partner agencies find homes for the remaining cats that are available for adoption," added Rickey. "Our goal has always been to do what's in the best interest of the cats, and we remain committed to helping find placement options for the rest of the animals."

The Halifax Humane Society, as part of its "Plan Alive" partnership with Flagler Humane Society and Southeast Volusia Humane Society to reduce animal overpopulation, will be hosting an adoption event to find homes for some of the remaining cats on Saturday, August 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some of these cats have special needs, including those that are FIV-positive or have feline leukemia. The event will take place at Volusia County Fairgrounds (Hester Building), 3150 E. New York Avenue (State Road 44), DeLand, Fla. Potential adopters should bring with them one government-issued photo ID (i.e. driver's license, passport, military ID, or non-driver ID) and proof of address. For more information, please visit www.halifaxhumanesociety.org.

"We also want to thank Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services for allowing the ASPCA to use its old facility to care for the cats for nearly six months," added Rickey. The ASPCA's rescue efforts have exceeded more than $1.7 million, which includes: more than 150,000 cans of food; 140,000 pounds of cat litter; 5,000 doses of antibiotics; and 85,000 man-hours to ensure these cats receive the care they deserve. Thirty-four animal welfare agencies sent staff and volunteers from around the country/state throughout the operation to support the ASPCA’s rescue and sheltering efforts.

Additional groups that provided assistance for the adoption events include: PetSmart Charities, Inc. (providing grants to all of the host communities, as well as wire cages and shelter supplies); Subaru of America, Inc. (ID tags); FidoPharm® (PetArmor® flea & tick products); PetCo Team of Nestlé Purina PetCare Company (food donation); and Sumter DART (providing personnel for the upcoming adoption event hosted by the Halifax Humane Society).

Stay tuned to www.aspca.org/blog and @ASPCA on Twitter for stories and photos of "happy tails" in the coming days.