EVERY CAT
Felines & Friends’ annual fundraiser, Cocktails for Critters, takes place every summer at a private home. There is a silent auction, several raffle items, musical entertainment, heavy hors d’ oeuvres and a selection of wines.
Photos Irina ArchAngelSkaya
Heller has her hands full; between managing Santa Fe Cats Boarding, running the adoption centers, administering the nitty gritty of the non-profit and, of course, caring for the kitties, Felines & Friends has made an indelible mark on the health of thousands of northern New Mexican cats, ultimately giving them a second chance at happiness.
Deserves a Second Chance Bobbi Heller has been in the business of saving cats for over 30 years. She served as vice president of Felines & Friends in California before moving to Santa Fe in 2000. She didn’t expect to be starting a similar organization in New Mexico, but she says the need soon became apparent. The first cat she rescued was in 2001, and one thing led to another. Felines & Friends New Mexico offers second chance rescue for cats who would not normally find a home through a regular openadmission shelter because of health, age or behavioral issues.
H
ow it typically works is a shelter calls Felines & Friends when they have an animal they can’t keep on. “We just took two cats who had bitten a volunteer. It was a stress reaction, but open-admission shelters have strict guidelines they have to adhere to when there’s a known bite case,” Heller explains. “The cats have been fine with us since the minute we got them. They’re currently at our boarding facility where they have windows, space and are regularly talked to.” However, it’s not just shelters that feed into Felines & Friends. Heller explains that oftentimes neighbors or family members will call in an ill-cared-for kitty. Heller notes there is a large feral cat population in Santa Fe, which Felines & Friends has helped address for over 10 years. If they find kittens, they place them up for adoption, and also reduce the stray cat population through sterilization in conjunction with Gatos de Santa Fe. An important step for Heller was when she started managing Santa Fe Cats Boarding. The for-profit boarding business helps support the non-profit second chance rescue organization.
Heller’s long term goal is to move to a larger building where boarding is on one side and an adoption center is on the other. Currently, Felines & Friends’ adoption center is at Petco. On average, Felines & Friends takes in about 200 cats annually. Once a cat finds its way to the organization, Heller and her volunteers reach out to their foster home base. “It’s a similar process as folks looking to adopt, but it’s for people who are only looking for a pet part-time or who travel a lot. Those are good candidates for giving a temporary home to a cat in need,” she says. Of course, if it’s the right cat, adoption is also an option. Felines & Friends is a non-profit organization. Beyond donating, folks can help out by simply taking their cats to Santa Fe Cats Boarding while on vacation. Additionally, volunteers are always needed at the main adoption center at Petco, or at one of the satellite locations at Tecu Tu or Prosperous Pets.
For more information, visit www.fandfnm.org or www. santafecats.com. All photos are courtesy Pet Angel Irina (www.petangel.biz) who has volunteered as a cat photographer for the organization for five years, and who has regularly donated pet photo sessions for the Felines & Friends fundraiser.
MAIN PICTURE: Ceri CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Meow Meow and Janine Kraemer; Missoni; Ms Alexia and David Schultz; Nabila; Hiccup