Date: Fri 05-Sep-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

SNAN-cat-contest

Full Text:

with photos

SNAN Announces A `Royal Feline' Contest

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

Attention all cats!

The first Royal Feline Family Contest is being sponsored by the Spay & Neuter

Association of Newtown, Inc, (SNAN) this fall. All cats are eligible to enter.

There will be six categories of competition with ten winners representing

members of the royal court - from the "most beautiful" king and queen, to the

"funniest" court jester. Awards will be given for the "most elegant" prince

and princess, the "most prestigious" duke and duchess, the "cutest" heir to

the throne, and the two "most unusual" members of the royal court.

There is no limit on the number of times you may enter over the next nine

weeks. But there must be only one cat per photo. A $5 registration fee must

accompany each photo entered. All proceeds will by used by SNAN to provide

low-cost spay and neuter services and inoculations for cats and dogs.

The winners will receive prizes and their photos will be published in The

Newtown Bee.

The contest is an effort to raise funds for SNAN's services and to publicize

the problem of stray cats. SNAN's motto, "We strive for a better world for

pets," extends to those who have no homes, said Donna Safee, SNAN president.

"Abandoned cats are a continual problem," Ms Safee said. "They breed and can

produce generations of feral cats. Often people who are moving into homes will

discover a family of cats already living on the property," she said.

Unwanted cats and dogs are often abandoned by their owners, dropped off along

a country road or on someone's doorstep. While the dog pound, located behind

the transfer station on Ethan Allen Road in Newtown, takes stray dogs, there

isn't a similar facility for cats.

More than 15 million homeless or abandoned cats and dogs are euthanized in the

United States every year. Twice that number die from disease, accidents, abuse

or starvation. SNAN was formed in 1982 to help remediate this problem locally.

The rewards of spaying and neutering are many. The spayed female dog or cat is

a better pet - more docile, tractable, friendly and content. The neutered male

dog or cat is a better pet, is more easily trained and does not engage in

unpleasant, antisocial behavior.

In the past 15 years SNAN has assisted financially in helping to spay and

neuter nearly 4,000 cats and dogs.

SNAN doesn't find homes for animals, but it does subsidize the cost of

spaying, neutering and shots, often for strays that are being adopted.

"We solicit veterinarians and get the best possible rates, then refer these

vets to people who need the service," Ms Safee said. "The usual rate for a

female cat is $95 to $120 but we can do it for $35 to $45."

Over the years SNAN also has conducted educational programs about responsible

pet ownership for civic groups, classes of school children and senior citizens

groups; assisted with rabies clinics; purchased books pertaining to dog and

cat welfare for the library; provided food for dogs and cats for senior

citizens who are on fixed incomes and otherwise would not be able to afford

the companionship of a pet, and supplied dog cookies as treats for local dog

pounds.

"We aren't able to provide the food now because we don't have the money," Ms

Safee said. "We really need everyone's help to continue to do this work."

SNAN Needs Help

SNAN serves not only Newtown but the surrounding communities as well. Many of

its members, like Ms Safee, live in Monroe.

"The problem (of stray cats) certainly isn't limited to any one community,"

she explained. "It's widespread and it isn't going to go away any time soon."

SNAN welcomes all new members and assures them that they won't be expected to

take in strays.

"We need people who can help raise money," Ms Safee said. "It could be baking

a dozen cupcakes for a bake sale or donating tag sale items. People can help

in any way they can. They won't be expected to shelter cats."

Membership in SNAN is $10 per year; senior citizens and students pay $5 per

year.

In addition to Donna Safee, this year's officers include Lisa Fluman, vice

president; Wesley Evans, treasurer; Barbara Reed, secretary; and Marilyn

Mahler, corresponding secretary. Bunny Madden and Rigi Evans are longtime

members, former officers/directors.

Contest Rules

To enter the Royal Feline Family Contest send a $5 registration fee for each

photo, color or black and white, of a living cat to SNAN CatContest, 48 Queen

Street, Newtown 06470. Use the registration form or send the cat's name, sex,

owner's name, address, phone number and cat's age written on a plain piece of

paper accompanying the photo.

Photos must be no smaller than 3x4 inches or larger than 8x11 inches. Photos

will not be returned. Winners will be chosen by an independent panel of judges

on November 10. Winners, and some other contestants, will be published in The

Newtown Bee.

Donations to SNAN may be made c/o Box 352, Newtown 06470. For more information

about SNAN, call 426-5730.