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Girl Scouts, Brownies Help Pet Rescue Service

Jessica Bair/SUNCOAST

Girl Scout members, from left to right, Eileen Quinones, Dana Frey, along with Brownies Mia Fournier and Samantha Quinn learn the proper technique for holding a kitten while on a recent field trip to PetSmart in Trinity. The troops handmade cat nip socks to give to The Little Cats' Rescue.

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By Jessica  Bair | The Suncoast News

Published: October 17, 2007

TRINITY, Fla. - TRINITY, Fla. - A local Girl Scout and Brownie troop recently got a lesson in animal aid and pet care while on a field trip to the local PetSmart pet supply store.

The troop trip to the pet center on Little Road was part of a service project, Operation Happy Socks, where the girls delivered their handmade catnip socks to the kitten adoption center run by The Little Cats Rescue founder and CEO RaeAnna Saks, inside the store.

"It's all part of the Girl Scouts helping to make the world a better place," Jill White, mother and Brownie troop leader said.

The Girl Scouts of West Central Florida Troop 957 and Brownie Troop 563 settled on this project to reach out to TLC Rescue and "make the cats happy," White said. The troops earn a service badge after several projects are completed.

While there, the excited youngsters got a store tour from its operations manager, Jim Smith.

Saks says she is grateful to receive the donations for the approximately 100 homeless and feral cats housed in three locations, the TLC Rescue sanctuary, PetSmart center and foster homes.

The New Port Richey-based nonprofit organization, however, is in need of much more to help their small feline friends.

"We desperately need funds and volunteers," says Saks of the no-kill shelter she operates with 12 part-time volunteers.

To help the public with strays and find them new homes, the center needs double that amount of responsible people, she says.

Saks, who started the shelter four years ago, works with the Tampa-based Humane Society of Tampa Bay to fix, test and return the cats so they can be adopted out. They average about 20 adoptions per month but have no paid staff and receive funding from a few reliable donors.

"I think we could do a lot more and we would love to have our own facility but it just can't be done right now," said Saks, who also lives at the undisclosed sanctuary.

All the donated funds go straight to veterinarian bills, feeding, sheltering and caring for the cats.

Similar to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other humane shelters, the cats are all spayed and neutered, have microchip implants and are up-to-date with shots.

"It breaks my heart when I can't take in a cat because of space or funds," says the animal rights activist. She began rescuing animals in 1989 and believes God called her to do this.

"When I think I can't take it anymore, I pray to God," Saks says of her duty to protect the animals at all costs. "Then something always comes in the post office box, like $200, to keep me moving."

There is a waiting list until January to house more felines because of a lack of time, money, space and volunteers, she says. The Little Cat Rescue is seeking volunteers ages 15-years-old and up, as well as, donations.

To learn more, contact RaeAnna Saks at 727-815-0772 or visit the Little Cat Rescue Web site.

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