For Animals Uses Social Media to Raise Funds for Hank - by Theresa Bachu & Bekah Wilcox, For Animals - Spring 2010 - NYC Eartips

New York City Feral Cat Initiative - Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals

Theresa Bachu, founder of For Animals takes Hank for his dental evaluation. (Photo by Alexandra Steedman)

Theresa Bachu, founder of For Animals, takes Hank

for his dental evaluation.

Photo by Alexandra Steedman

Home > NYC Eartips > Spring 2010 > For Animals Uses Social Media to Raise Funds for Hank

For Animals Uses Social Media to Raise Funds for Hank

by Theresa Bachu & Bekah Wilcox, For Animals

For Animals recently held a fundraiser for Hank, a lovable shelter cat in need of expensive dental surgery. Having been abandoned on the streets for some time without access to proper nutrition or medical care, he developed a painful oral condition that would have eventually taken his life. By reaching out to our supporters via our website, e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook, who in turn shared Hank's story with their own networks, we were able to raise enough money to fund his operation in just two weeks. Hank's surgery is scheduled for later this month and, after recovering, he will be available for adoption.

Hank is just one of the many cats For Animals has rescued from the streets as part of its ongoing TNR work. Thus far in 2010, For Animals has spay/neutered more than 125 cats and found homes for more than 30 cats. In recent weeks, a majority of the female cats rescued have been pregnant, and kitten season is just around the corner. We have increased our trapping in preparation for an influx of kittens, hosting two mobile spay/neuter clinics each month at our shelter for our TNR group, and finding spots with other resources as they become available.

Editor's Note: It is very common for TNR volunteers to come across abandoned friendly cats when completing a TNR project. If you find a friendly cat or cats during a TNR project, you should file a report with Animal Care & Control of NYC to see if someone has reported the cat(s) missing. If no one claims the cat(s) within 48 hours of your report, you are free to adopt the cat(s) out.

About the Author

Theresa Bachu dedicated her life to helping animals after finding a stray cat with a litter of kittens in her backyard. Her eyes were opened to the plight of homeless animals, and she went on to found For Animals in 2001. In the years since, she has prevented thousands of kittens from being born on the streets through her extensive TNR work and adoption program.

Bekah Wilcox joined For Animals in 2009 after fostering a pair of visually impaired kittens rescued by the organization. Having experienced firsthand the difference Theresa was making in the lives of animals, she quickly became one of a handful of volunteers dedicated to expanding the reach and impact of the work done by For Animals.

Photos courtesy of Meredith Weiss and NeighborhoodCats, unless otherwise noted

NYC Feral Cat Initiative • c/o Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals • 244 Fifth Avenue, Suite R290 • New York, NY 10001 • (212) 330-0033 • info@NYCFeralCat.org