FixNation and Valley Vet Non Profit (VVNP) are teaming up this summer to bring you even more days when you can get your feral cats fixed for free.

Starting in August, VVNP will be open on the 2nd Monday of every month for a day dedicated to fixing feral cats. This is an extra day above and beyond when VVNP is normally open, as a way to expand how many feral cats are being fixed within our community each month. VVNP will fix up to 50 feral cats on these special Mondays, and the program will be sponsored by FixNation.

This program kicks off on Monday, August 9th. The spay/neuter services will be done at VVNP’s clinic at 1659 East Los Angeles Avenue in Simi Valley.

The same great “free feral program” that you’ve come to know from FixNation still applies for these Mondays, including:

- Spay/neuter surgery
- Physical exam
- FVRCP distemper combo vaccine
- Rabies vaccine
- Revolution (for fleas, earmites, mange, hookworms and roundworms)
- Eartip
- Antibiotic
- Fluids
- Pain medication
- Droncit as needed (for tapeworms)
- Lots of TLC!

VVNP will also offer FeLV/FIV testing and microchipping for an additional fee. FeLV/FIV combo tests are $20, FeLV only tests are $10, microchips are $25 and hernia repairs are $15. Convenia injections, if recommended by the vet, are $25.

Only feral cats will be booked on these special Mondays, and all cats will be eartipped. Any tame companion cats or friendly strays should be scheduled at either FixNation or VVNP during normal business hours.

Feral cats must come in to VVNP in humane traps and be fully covered (no carriers or other containers please). Drop off time is between 8:00 – 8:30 a.m. and pick up is between 2:00 – 2:30 pm. Appointments must be made in advance, and trappers can book appointments by calling VVNP directly at 805-584-3823.

Both FixNation and Valley Vet Non Profit are very excited to be bringing you this new outreach program. We hope it helps both the trappers and the cats out in the West Valley.

FixNation will continue to look for new and creative ways to bring more spay/neuter services to other parts Los Angeles. We firmly believe that public access to free spay/neuter services is a critical component in homeless cat management. Collectively, we can make a difference.

Disneyland may be the “happiest place on earth” during the day, but did you also know that it’s home to hundreds of feral cats that roam the park at night? The cats have been around since the park opened. For almost ten years now, Disneyland has worked together with Best Friends Catnippers and FixNation to successfully Trap-Neuter-Return these feline friends. In return, the cats do their part by keeping the rodent population in the park down. Watch out Mickey Mouse!

Click here to read the full story by Best Friends Animal Society

The new plates feature original artwork created and donated by actor/artist Pierce Brosnan. Plates are $50 for a sequential plate or $98 for a personalized plate.

The total number of dogs and cats euthanized in public shelters rose from 378,445 in 2004 to 432,512 in 2008, according to the latest figures available from the California Department of Public Health. When the state’s private shelters are included, it is estimated that one million pets enter California’s shelters each year, with more than half of them euthanized, the California Spay and Neuter License Plate Fund and the California Veterinary Medical Board noted.

They plates are now available for pre-order. They will be produced and issued once an initial 7,500 pre-paid applications have been collected. Go to www.CASpayPlate.com to order yours today!

Ericka has been working in news for over ten years. Born in Peru, Ericka moved to the United States at a young age. She graduated from Rider University with a communications degree. She then set off working for big industry names like Univision, Fox 5’s “Good Day New York” and WSVN in Miami and Telemundo 47 in New York. Today,  Ericka is the evening weather anchor for Telemundo 52 in LA, one of the largest Spanish television networks in the world. In 2009 Ericka earned her meteorology degree and earned the prestigious American Meteorology Society seal of approval. Her personality, versatility and knowledge have gained her respect and a huge following. Ericka’s Photo galleries and Internet segments such as “Ericka Te lo Cuenta” are amongst the most trafficked in the Telemundo website.

Ericka joined forces with FixNation because of her love of cats and strong desire to help the community at large. Sharing a common vision of “No More Homeless Cats in LA”, Ericka is using her vivacious personality and tapping in to her wide fan base to help drive home the importance of spay/neuter and to explain what Trap-Neuter-Return is all about.

“Many people in the Spanish-speaking community have a great love of animals and want to help the cats within their community, but simply don’t know about TNR or what resources are available to help them locally” says Ericka. “By letting people know about FixNation and the free spay/neuter services they offer, I can help show people how easy it is to make a positive difference in the world around them.”

Ericka visited FixNation with her camera crew and showcased the coverage and story on her heavily trafficked Telemundo website. She also invited FixNation’s Spanish-speaking team members to join her on air, with tame kitten in tow, to talk to her audience about free-roaming cats and the benefits of TNR.

“We couldn’t be more pleased that Ericka is helping us reach the Spanish-speaking community,” says Kim Senn, VP of Operations at FixNation. “Ericka is an extremely popular, influential woman with fans who follow her everywhere she goes. We are thrilled to have her help in reaching out to the Hispanic community on the importance of Trap-Neuter-Return for our community cats.”

More exciting plans are in store in throughout 2010 for Ericka and FixNation to team up on educational outreach projects for the Spanish-speaking community. Together, through education and increased awareness, they plan to turn the tide on the plight of homeless cats and to reduce the pet overpopulation in Los Angeles, helping both people and animals alike lead better lives.

To get to know Ericka Pino, go to:

http://www.Telemundo52.com/erickapino

To view her gallery of FixNation, go to:

http://www.telemundo52.com/noticias/5868721/detail.html

To view the on-air coverage with FixNation team members, view the 3-part series:

1) http://www.telemundo52.com/video/19049779/index.html

That’s when thousands of people from Southern California, of all ages and all backgrounds, work together to lend a hand to nonprofits, schools and other agencies that need their help. Last year on Big Sunday Weekend, 50,000 volunteers turned out at more than 500 different projects from San Diego to Solvang, making Big Sunday Weekend one of the largest regional community service events in America.

Big Sunday takes place at hundreds of different sites throughout the Southland, from downtown L.A. to the Westside, from the San Fernando Valley to the San Gabriel Valley, from Orange County to the Inland Empire to Ventura County. There are opportunities for every passion, talent, skill and age. Projects are scheduled throughout the weekend, and can last anywhere from one hour to two full days. Big Sunday Weekend also includes special events such as art shows, sports days, yard sales and blood drives.

This year, one of the special activities will be benefitting FixNation!

Volunteers can sign up to host a dog biscuit booth to sell dog biscuits to benefit one of five local animal non profit organization: FixNation, Clinico, Bark Avenue Foundation, Seal Beach Animal Care Center and the Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue.

As a host, you run your own booth and staff it with your friends, family, co-workers… whoever you want as volunteers. Big Sunday will provide some supplies, including very cute and delicious (so we’ve heard!) dog biscuits, signage and more.

You can choose ANY location and time to hold your booth. The only requirement is that the booth be open for a minimum of two hours on either May 1st or May 2nd.

The original deadline for signing up was April 22nd, but that has been extended, so if you’re interested in participating SIGN UP TODAY! Complete and submit the volunteer registration at:

http://my.bigsunday.org/index.cfm?x_x_=1&Fuseaction=DIYDogBiscuit

For any questions or further information, email Lori, our Dog Booth Coordinator at lori@bigsunday.org.

For more information on Big Sunday, including a calendar of events, check out their website at:

http://my.bigsunday.org/

http://www.bigsunday.org/

Here is an FAQ on what this means on a practical level:

1. Is TNR now illegal?

Answer: No. TNR is legal for private citizens and rescue organizations to carry out. The only difference is that the city is currently prohibited from supporting our TNR efforts.

2. Can I still get city vouchers to offset the cost of spaying or neutering feral cats?

Answer: Currently, a private resident can get up to three vouchers for spaying or neutering cats that live on their own property. These vouchers must be obtained directly from a city shelter.

3. If I have a question or problem related to feral cats in Los Angeles or if I need to borrow a feral cat trap, whom should I contact?

Answer: Contact FixNation, Stray Cat Alliance, Kitten Rescue, Actors & Others for Animals, Best Friends Catnippers, or one of the many local cat rescue organizations that you may already be familiar with.

4.  How did this lawsuit happen?

Answer: A group of conservancy organizations that are concerned about declining song-bird populations and  the potential impact of feral cats on the environment sued the city for non-compliance with CEQA, and the court found in their favor.

5.  What is being done to correct the situation?

Answer: A coalition of animal organizations has formed to work with the city of Los Angeles to re-establish TNR as an important strategy in any effective and humane program aimed at managing and controlling feral cat populations while complying with CEQA. The coalition includes:  Actors & Others for Animals, Best Friends Animal Society, Feral Cat Caretakers’ Coalition, FixNation, Found Animals Foundation, Kitten Rescue, and Stray Cat Alliance.

6.  Will Judge McKnew’s ruling be appealed by the City of LA?

Answer: No. The City Attorney has concluded that because the law precludes any new evidence or arguments being introduced on appeal, that re-trying the same case on the existing court record would likely have the same result with the added consequence of establishing the ruling state-wide, while now it only affects the city of Los Angeles. The coalition has hired an attorney who specializes in CEQA, and they agree with the City Attorney’s decision not to appeal.  Rather, the coalition will work with the city to develop a TNR policy while observing CEQA requirements.

7.  What can I do to help?

Answer: Please forward this FAQ to concerned family and friends, and if you can, please donate to your favorite feral cat program and sign the coalition’s declaration of support for TNR in Los Angeles. (Click here to view and sign the Coalition Declaration)

If you care about the lives of homeless cats in Los Angeles, please read, and in any way you can, show your support for this important declaration.

Declaration of Support For The Humane Management of Feral Cats in Los Angeles

When Superior Court Judge Thomas McKnew ruled last December that the City of Los Angeles Animal Services can no longer provide information about Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) or funding for spay/neuter of feral cats without first satisfying a California Environmental Quality (CEQA) review, he turned the clock back two decades.

Before the ruling, Los Angeles was a model of humane feral cat care for cities nationwide. The city recognized Trap-Neuter-Return as an effective tool in its commitment to becoming “no-kill,” and the community embraced it: last year more than 16,000 feral cats were neutered with the help of volunteers and nonprofit groups.

There is no humane alternative to TNR and the consequence of the Judge McKnew’s ruling is that more cats are entering and dying in our city shelters everyday.

This isn’t a question of “cats versus birds”.  The organizations and individuals who advocate for TNR are concerned about all animals. It is our belief that we need to control the community cat population for the sake of the cats, the birds and the environment as a whole. Catching and killing stray and free roaming cats is not only inhumane, it simply doesn’t work.

What works—and has been working for 20 years—is the city joining with caregivers and local nonprofits to help protect and improve cats’ lives, minimize their impact on the environment and to help stabilize the feral cat population—an animal population that has thrived outdoors for thousands of years – through a robust TNR program that complies with CEQA.

The cats of Los Angeles are in dire need of our voice and our advocacy.

FixNation declares its support for the establishment of TNR as official policy for the City of Los Angeles. We applaud the city for their prior efforts in this regard and we want the city to move forward as expeditiously as possible to create a comprehensive TNR program in collaboration with private partners that satisfies CEQA requirements while supporting the humane, non-lethal, management of stray and feral cat populations in Los Angeles.

The Community Cat Coalition of Los Angeles is comprised of representatives from respected animal welfare organizations such as Actors & Others for Animals, Best Friends Animal Society, Feral Cat Caretakers’ Coalition, FixNation, Found Animals Foundation, Kitten Rescue and Stray Cat Alliance.

Sign the Coalition Petition and Show Your Support

_____________________________________________________________________

View FixNation’s original petition, launched in December 2009, to show support for TNR in Los Angeles. Read the many comments from caregivers across the city, the state, the country… and even the world!

View and Sign FixNation Original Petition

_____________________________________________________________________

Community Cat Coalition of Los Angeles

Since Cats first opened on the West End stage in 1981, it has become one of the world’s best known and best loved musicals. With a plot based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and award-winning music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber; CATS, originally directed by Trevor Nunn, has since been presented in over 20 countries and in about 250 cities. The production ran for 18 years on Broadway, a record-setting 21 years in London, won seven Tony Awards and is the longest running tour in American theatre history.

CATS has come back to Los Angeles! The production is visiting the Pantages Theatre for two weeks in March. Graciously, the Pantages Theatre and the production of CATS offered to partner with FixNation for a special, one-time fundraising and “friendraising” event on Wednesday, March 10th. FixNation was granted a block of well-situated tickets to CATS to sell, with the proceeds going to help the non-profit clinic.

The evening started with a VIP cocktail reception held at the elegant Katsuya restaurant in Hollywood, with food, wine and drinks. The hit of the party was a visit from some of the costumed cast members from CATS, and guest attendees could get their photo taken with the Cats on the red carpet. An exclusive video on FixNation clinic was also premiered, giving guests a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of the clinic and how the mission got started.

The highlight of the evening was the award-winning Broadway production of CATS at the Pantages Theatre. Our celebrity guest, Corey Feldman, took the stage before the start of the performance to say a few words about the plight of homeless cats, how TNR can make such a huge difference in their lives, and about FixNation’s free spay/neuter services for homeless, stray and feral cats. Corey and his son Zen stayed to watch the performance, as well as take a few photos with the cast members from CATS. We appreciate his coming out to help our charitable event, and his passion and commitment to bettering the lives of animals.

We would like to thank our three very generous sponsors who made this magical evening possible: The Angela Collier Foundation, The Rascal & Chloe Fund, and Found Animals Foundation.

Thanks also goes out to a very special donor and friend, the Dax Foundation, who purchased some CATS tickets that we awarded to some “unsung heroes” who are out in the field night after night trapping, caring for colonies, and making an overall difference in the lives of homeless cats. This special gift allowed people who might not otherwise be attending a chance to take an evening off from their hard work and join us in some fun.

We extend our grateful and sincere thanks to everyone who came out to support this event, and in the words of the beautiful Grizabella, we cherish the special Memories that we made!

]]> http://fixnation.org/2010/02/fixnation-partners-with-the-broadway-musical-cats-for-a-special-night-2/feed/ 0 http://fixnation.org/2010/01/tnr-feral-cats-in-the-news/ http://fixnation.org/2010/01/tnr-feral-cats-in-the-news/#comments Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:08:46 +0000 admin http://blog.fixnation.org/?p=555 2010

“Watch Out Mickey”
By Lisa Warren, Best Friends Animal Society
June 11, 2010

“Actor Corey Feldman Attends Benefit for FixNation”
By Tom Grady, StarNewsOnline
March 16, 2010

“Fixing Stray Cats”
By Michele C. Hollow, Pet News and Views
March 3, 2010

“A Match ‘Fixed’ in Heaven: ‘Cats’ Help Cats”
By Luis Torres, Pasadena Star News
February 19, 2010

“Opposition to TNR for Homeless Cats Misguided, Says National Animal Welfare Organization”
By Best Friends Animal Society, PRWeb
January 6, 2010

2009

“Ruling on Trapping of Feral Cats Is (Bad) for the Birds“
By Francis Battista, DailyNews LA
December 15, 2009

“Judge’s Ruling Bad for Community Cats”
By Sandy Miller, Best Friends Network
December 11, 2009

“FixNation Extends Canvassing in San Fernando Valley”
By Stephanie Rommel, Best Friends Network
October 27, 2009

“FixNation: California’s Only Free Spay/Neuter Clinic for Stray Cats Recognizes National Feral Cat Day”
Press Conference, RP Worx
October 22, 2009

“Best Friends Animal Society Celebrates National Feral Cat Day”
The PetWork
October 12, 2009

“FixNation Employees Interviewed on Telemundo 52 News”
By Cheri Moon, Best Friends Network
April 15, 2009

“L.A. Spay/Neuter Clinic Reaches Milestone: Nonprofit Organization FixNation Notes Its 25,000 Cat Sterilization”
CatChannel.com
April 1, 2009

“A Spay to Remember”
By Jennifer S. Hayes, Best Friends Network
April 1, 2009

“L.A. Cuts Spay/Neuter Discount Program”
By Carlos Granda, KABC-TV Channel 7 News
March 17, 2009

“Mi visita a la clínica FixNation”
By Ericka Pino, Telemundo 52
March, 2009
View slideshow

View on-air interview with FixNation staff

“Cal State Long Beach Students Win Right to Maintain Feral Colony”
By Jennifer S. Hayes, Best Friends Network
March 11, 2009

2008

“FixNation Built It, and They Came!“
By Denise A. LeBeau, Best Friends Network
October 15, 2008

“Pet Retailer to Fund 8 Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinics in L.A. County”
By Tony Barboza, Los Angeles Times
September 30, 2008

“PetSmart Donates $13.8M For LA Spay/Neuter Clinics”
KCAL2 Channel 9 News
September 29, 2008

“Get Your Local Cats Fixed for Fun & Profit*”
By Lucinda Michele, LA.metblogs.com
September 17, 2008

“FixNation Launches in Los Angeles”
By Denise LeBeau, Best Friends Network
April 11, 2008