Dear Friends,
Because of your ongoing support, 2007 has been a busy year for Homeless Animal Lifeline (HAL). We have made wonderful progress in each of our programs and have steadily grown by adding new, energetic volunteers.
HAL has not only spayed/neutered cats within its own Foster & Adoption program, but has worked extensively with the Bridgewater community and helped to spay/neuter cats belonging to lower-income families. HAL has become a dependable source of assistance -- both financial and emotional -- for cat parents who visit the Bridgewater PetSmart on Saturdays.
Our Feral Cat program has helped colonies and their caretakers throughout New Jersey by providing assistance with spay/neuter, medical care, food, and supplies for feral cats. HAL celebrated National Feral Cat Day in October by hosting an informational table at Bridgewater PetSmart. Most recently, HAL has provided spay/neuter and medical care for a colony of homeless cats in Newark; adoptable cats and kittens from that colony were removed and are now living in safe, loving homes. We are currently working with a Manalapan resident, trapping & spay/neutering neighborhood strays and ferals being abused by neighbors and slated for removal and euthanasia by Animal Control. To date, ten cats have been trapped and removed from this dangerous area and are now in the safe hands of HAL volunteers.
We have revamped HAL's website to not only reflect our latest accomplishments, but to introduce our merge with The Animal Spirit. The Animal Spirit began in 1999 as a privately-funded organization and has served as a popular, award-winning online home base for animal advocates. By merging with The Animal Spirit, HAL has been able to expand its Humane Education program; through the dissemination of ideas and the development of educational materials, HAL has helped animal advocates, including educators, students, community members, grassroots organizations, shelters, rescues, and others, incorporate humane education and outreach into thousands of communities and schools.
HAL has welcomed new volunteers to its Foster Home program; Joanne and Ilene have provided temporary homes to cats who would otherwise have nowhere to go. Our fosters are an important part of the HAL family and we are very grateful for them!
Our much-needed Fundraising program has been expanded to include a Vehicle Donation Program. By calling 800-320-0476, you can donate your car, truck, trailer, recreational vehicle, boat, etc., for FREE -- no towing charges or Motor Vehicles paperwork! Plus, you qualify for your lawful IRS tax deduction. In May, Carol and Michael held their annual multi-household yard sale to benefit HAL; it was a great success!
Most important, our Adoption Day Events at Bridgewater PetSmart and Petfinder.com have helped find safe, loving homes for 145 cats. Many of these cats were rescued from "death row" in shelters. We held an "Adopt An Adult Cat Adoptathon" in March, we found new homes for seven adult cats -- Captain Morgan, Sunshine, Gia, Maisey, Jake, Oreo and Morris. A special thank you to Hillsborough Girl Scout Troop 1048 for donating handsewn cat pillows and handmade "goody bags" for adopters.
We look forward to another successful year in 2008. With your continued support, HAL will keep its commitment to saving the lives of homeless cats in New Jersey. We are always in need of new foster homes, experienced Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) volunteers, supplies such as wet/dry food and litter, and monetary donations to help keep our programs going.
HAL wishes you and your family a very Happy, Healthy Holiday and Peaceful New Year.
