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About Save Our Strays
S.O.S. was begun in 1998 to help reduce the number of stray animals through non-lethal means (TNR and Spay/Neuter Programs).
We also ask the public to help minimize overpopulation by spaying and neutering their own pets.
We are organized members and volunteers and do not have a shelter. All of our animals are fostered by members or volunteers in their homes.
::The Vision of Save Our Strays is a world without abandoned, suffering, stray or feral animals.
::The Mission of Save Our Strays is to eliminate the overpopulation of stray and feral cats and dogs through spay and neuter efforts. Secondarily, to assist with finding loving homes for adoptable animals.
:: Focus...
...A critical means to abolishing the overpopulation of cats is through TNR, or Trap-Neuter-Return of feral (unadoptable) cats, maintaining in the animal's original habitat. We also work with low income families and with the public who contact us for help, when funds and resources allow.
...A secondary effort (though it often takes much more time and dedication) is placing adoptable stray cats and kittens (and lesser dogs and puppies) into loving homes through our website and Petfinder.org, through PetsMart's local Adoption Program and through Adoptathons at local businesses, such as Wild Oats.
:: Do your part...
...by spaying/neutering your own animals. Ask your neighbor if their animals are spayed or neutered, too.
Pet owners' failure to take responsibility to spay and neuter their pets is the #1 reason for pet overpopulation. If your pet gets out of the house just once, is in heat or comes across another animal in heat, the cycle begins...
In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can theoretically produce 420,000 cats.
In six years, one female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs.
--Humane Society of America, overpopulation statistics
:: Breeders...
...add to the overpopulation problem. Millions of non-pure bred and pure bred animals are put to sleep each year in shelters. By breeding animals, we are adding to the problem. Typically, the animals doing the breeding do not have a typical loving home environment; rather, they are made to breed to the point of being inhumane. Even reputable breeders rarely give the attention and love a normal household pet would get, especially dog breeders; they are usually caged outdoors their entire life. Worse are innumerable unreputable breeders who keep their animals housed in inhumane, filthy conditions, breeding their animals to the point of causing death. Once these animals are no longer needed by a breeder, they are sometimes discarded in the wild (unneutered) or, more often, dropped off to a pound, where they are usually euthanized, since older dogs rarely get adopted from the shelters. And then the adoptors themselves become a problem as well -- often there is a desire to purchase a pure bred dog without investigating temperment, without taking the time to train, and without thinking through the purchase. These unwanted dogs and cats end up at the pound where most are euthanized.
We urge you to find a you pet through a local rescue group or your local pound or spca and not support breeders. If a pure bred dog is a must, there are many pure bred rescues for these unwanted animals. Do a search on the internet to find a particular breed.
:: The results of overpopulation...
...in Cincinnati alone in 2003, over 31,000 unwanted animals in local shelters were euthanized.
3 out of every 4 animals taken to shelters ends up unwanted and are euthanized.
:: Killing is not the answer to overpopulation...
...Read this Article from Best Friends Animal Society, Click here
:: Adoptions...
...As we conduct TNR, we often come across adoptable kittens that we need to find homes for. We find adoptable adult cats as well. When we have the resources to foster these animals, we will get them vet checked and try to find loving homes for them through
- Our adoptable pets on Petfinder.org
- Cincinnati based PetsMarts in Oakley and Milford
...but we can only take in the animals if we have foster homes.
If you would like to adopt or [temporarily] foster, please contact us today!
