People stopped to gawk as the Meow Mix Mobile pulled up to the curb. They couldn’t avoid seeing it, with its bright colors, wide open eyes staring out from the front hood, and a large tail curled over its roof.
The moment the vehicle was parked, Carol Slade, office manager for the Secaucus-based Meow Mix company, popped out – a smiling, gregarious, blonde-haired woman dressed in a mélange jacket of vibrant purples and blues – who had come to Bayonne to deliver 30 large bags of cat food to help feed animals seeking homes.
“We love to do this,” she said as the driver opened up the back door and began to unload bag after bag of Meow Mix. The food was meant to help the Splash Pet Grooming store and the members of Companion Animal Rescue and Education (CARE) continue their effort to feed, treat and seek homes for local pets.
Susan Milachouski, the owner of Splash, serves as a volunteer “foster parent” for CARE. She fosters at times as many as 20 animals that include dogs, cats, even hamsters, rabbits and birds – which have been rescued by CARE.
Although Splash only had about 10 pets at the time of the delivery, Milachouski said other animals are on their way – such as a mother cat and the brood of kittens that were due to arrive later that afternoon.
Biggie, a 7-year-old black and white male cat, has already had a tough time, even though he is a friendly animal who rubs against the backs of people’s hands when at Splash.
“He gets scared when he’s adopted, and people think he’s unfriendly and bring him back,” said Pamela Lyndquist, president of CARE, who still hopes to give Biggie to a good family. “He just has to get used to his new surroundings.”
May has been a particularly good month for CARE, with 11 successful adoptions. In its year of existence, CARE has found good homes for 213 animals, of which 189 were cats.
CARE provides temporary homes for the animals while its members seek permanent homes. Splash Pet grooming store on Kennedy Boulevard has been one of the key ingredients in this successful operation.
While individual members can supply lodging for one or two animals, Splash – with a couple of dozen cages and friendly people to provide company, care and attention – has provided CARE with a center of operations.
The gift of food by Meow Mix allows Splash and others to feed the animals and lets CARE use its limited resources on spaying or neutering, providing shots, de-worming, and any other medical procedure the animals might need before finding them a home.
“All our animals are up to date on their shots when we adopt them out,” Lyndquist said.
This, of course, is a money-losing operation, since the $75 fee CARE charges barely covers half the cost of fixing each animal. Much of the money needed for operations comes by way of fundraisers or donations throughout the year, and the Meow Mix gift helps them better allocate their finances toward finding animals homes.
“We’re patterned after the Friends of the Animals,” Lyndquist said, referring to a national cat rescue organization.
Groomer volunteers
Milachouski said she volunteered her store because she loves animals. She has been a groomer for more than 21 years, six years at the Kennedy Boulevard location and seven years before than on Avenue C.
But Splash does more than just provide a space. The animals need to be fed twice a day and their cages cleaned. The cats, dogs and other temporary residents also need attention, some social interaction with humans that will prepare them for their new homes.
Some animals arrive here as kittens, but some are surrendered and are depressed because they have been taken from their homes.
CARE takes its job seriously, and insists on interviewing the families proposing to adopt an animal, making certain the cat, dog or other pet can be properly cared for.
“If someone cannot afford to take their animal to the vet, then that person can’t afford to care for one of our animals,” Lyndquist said.
Slade, of Meow Mix, said she loved to be the person delivering the food, and said the company has made it a policy to support local groups like CARE by providing donations to offset some of the costs of caring for homeless animals.
“We do this for groups all across the county,” Slade said. “But in this case, it was a delight to find one right in our own back yard. And we hope this allows groups like CARE to provide animals with the medical care and other things they need in order to eventually get a lifelong home.”
With Slade was Benevieve Ferrara, the voice behind the consumer affairs phone number for Meow Mix.
How to help
CARE has several events scheduled for the next month, including a “Taste of Italy” fund-raiser scheduled for Sunday, June 13 at Calvary Episcopal Church, 954 Avenue C (near 45th Street) from 4 to 7 p.m. On Saturday, June 26, CARE will hold a garage sale at 137 Lexington Ave. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Sunday, June 27, CARE will hold a cat adoption at Splash Pet Grooming 603 Kennedy Blvd. from 11 a. m. to 2 p.m., and on Monday, June 28, care will hold an open house meeting at the Calvary Episcopal Church, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. For more information about these or other events, call (201) 436-6595.