A cat rescue organization that cares for about 40 stray mother cats and kittens is urgently seeking a new place for the animals to live after being asked to move out of the Lake Street building in Hamburg that it has occupied for about three years.
Robin Pagano, one of the founders and current shelter director of Precious Paws Rescue, said the group has been asked to move by July 31 from its shelter, a former doctor’s office.
Precious Paws Rescue is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 cat and kitten shelter and adoption facility that accepts surrenders of stray pregnant cats, stray cats and their nursing kittens, and stray kittens younger than 6 months.
Pagano said that the group originally had a one-year lease but that it expired almost two years ago. Ever since, she said, the group has been renting the building month to month.
Group members are hoping to buy a bit more time from the landlord so all the necessary arrangements can be made with municipal boards before the move. Pagano said the group got both Planning Board and Village Board approval before moving into the Lake Street building three years ago, and she believes that the shelter must be in an area that is zoned either commercial or agricultural.
The group is open to moving the shelter to another municipality, as long as it is near one of the volunteers, who live in Lancaster, North Tonawanda and Wheatfield, in addition to Hamburg.
“A small house would be perfect,” Pagano said.
The group’s needs are modest: “We need running water, heat, electricity and several different rooms so we can keep the cats separate,” Pagano said. “Right now, we have an infirmary, a kitten room, a general population room and a kitchen.”
Resources also are modest. Pagano said the group is looking to pay monthly rent of about $500. It is paying more now, she said, but “it’s really pushing us.”
As the deadline looms, Precious Paws has lowered adoption fees to find homes for as many animals as possible. Kittens are $60 and adult cats $40. All cats are spayed or neutered before being adopted.
Anyone with a location to rent, or who would like to help the rescue in other ways, should call the shelter at 512-5521.
email: aneville@buffnews.com
Robin Pagano, one of the founders and current shelter director of Precious Paws Rescue, said the group has been asked to move by July 31 from its shelter, a former doctor’s office.
Precious Paws Rescue is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 cat and kitten shelter and adoption facility that accepts surrenders of stray pregnant cats, stray cats and their nursing kittens, and stray kittens younger than 6 months.
Pagano said that the group originally had a one-year lease but that it expired almost two years ago. Ever since, she said, the group has been renting the building month to month.
Group members are hoping to buy a bit more time from the landlord so all the necessary arrangements can be made with municipal boards before the move. Pagano said the group got both Planning Board and Village Board approval before moving into the Lake Street building three years ago, and she believes that the shelter must be in an area that is zoned either commercial or agricultural.
The group is open to moving the shelter to another municipality, as long as it is near one of the volunteers, who live in Lancaster, North Tonawanda and Wheatfield, in addition to Hamburg.
“A small house would be perfect,” Pagano said.
The group’s needs are modest: “We need running water, heat, electricity and several different rooms so we can keep the cats separate,” Pagano said. “Right now, we have an infirmary, a kitten room, a general population room and a kitchen.”
Resources also are modest. Pagano said the group is looking to pay monthly rent of about $500. It is paying more now, she said, but “it’s really pushing us.”
As the deadline looms, Precious Paws has lowered adoption fees to find homes for as many animals as possible. Kittens are $60 and adult cats $40. All cats are spayed or neutered before being adopted.
Anyone with a location to rent, or who would like to help the rescue in other ways, should call the shelter at 512-5521.
email: aneville@buffnews.com