Petco Grant Received

P.A.N.T. President Juliet Kunkel announced today that the organization has received a grant for $14,770 from Petco in support of Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) initiatives for 2011.  The TNR program is a crucial part of P.A.N.T.’s overall mission to reduce the feral and abandoned cat population of Dutchess County.  During a TNR initiative, P.A.N.T. volunteers work with property owners to identify cat colonies, trap and sterilize at least 90% of the cats in the colony, medicate cats as necessary, and provide food and winter shelters for the remainder of the colony’s lifetime.   “TNR is the nationally-accepted, proven method of reducing unwanted cat colonies over time,”  said Juliet Kunkel, P.A.N.T. President.  “We are currently working in Red Hook and Rhinebeck townships, and over the past year we have TNR’d approximately cats in these two areas.  This grant will enable us to step up our volunteer recruitment efforts and move into the Millbrook area to identify and TNR cat colonies there.  We are indebted to Petco for this support of our TNR program.” Juliet was aided by past P.A.N.T. President Joan Trombini in writing the TNR grant application.  Congratulations, Juliet and Joan, and thank you, Petco!