Tuesday, March 27, 2012

We’re In A Fix!! A Guest Blog By FixNation

It wasn’t that long ago when feral, homeless and stray cats roamed the streets of Los Angeles without the possibility of much help. We like to think we changed that when we opened our doors in 2007. As a non-profit with a singular focus – all cats to make less cats – FixNation (www.fixnation.org) has been working like a dog (!) to help reduce cat over-population.
"Greta"


 If you’re a cat lover, you know there are way too many cats out there already. Cats without homes, without love but with the ability to keep making more homeless and feral cats. Our mission is to trap, neuter (or spay) and return cats to their homes in order to hopefully make their lives better. It’s a program we call TNR (http://fixnation.org/programs/faqs/) and it’s been incredibly successful, literally “fixing” tens of thousands of cats over the last few years and preventing hundreds of thousands more.

We do it all at our clinic staffed with veterinarians, vet techs, and other volunteers who are dedicated to helping cats. When someone in the community traps (humanely of course) a cat and brings it to us, we also make sure it’s healthy, providing pain medication, vaccinations, and any emergency medical services needed including wound care. A typical day sees up to 80 cats come through our doors. In addition to spaying and neutering, we also ”eartip” (http://fixnation.org/programs/faqs/) those to be released back onto the streets so we know who’s been fixed and who still needs fixing.


Sometimes cats that are obviously pets are brought to us as well, friendly and scared cats who once lived in homes, and we do everything we can to help reunite lost pets with lost parents if they are microchipped or to find new homes through willing rescue organizations. We love what we do, because we know in our hearts that we’re helping. Homeless, stray and feral cats can often lead scary lives on the streets. While many can’t be domesticated, most can be made healthier. And healthier is safer.

Our services are mostly free. (All services are free for homeless and feral cats.)  To spay or neuter a companion cat, we do charge a small fee but it’s one that provides a big help to other cats. We love what we do and we welcome all cats and kittens into our clinic so that we eliminate suffering and dying on the streets and in shelters by eliminating the possibility of cats reproducing.


During this spring season, kittens are in bloom. While everyone loves kittens, kittens do tend to become cats. That means a real possibility of adding more and more homeless cats to already over-burdened streets and that isn’t good for anyone, most of all the cats. We actually see kittens themselves, some just a few months old, who are already having kittens. It’s a problem we’d like to fix with the help of the community.

If you see a homeless or feral cat and can bring it to our free clinic to get fixed, you’ll be helping us help the cats. Remember, it starts with just one.

FixNation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that operates full-time in Los Angeles.  If you’d like to learn more about FixNation’s programs visit www.fixnation.orgClick here to make a donation to help homeless cats. (https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1003397&code=Main%20Website%20Button

21 comments:

  1. Fixnation are local to us, and they are awesome!

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  2. While we have a few vets who do offer a "rescue rate" for strays / ferals, people still need to pay and it does add up when it's a couple of cats. We could do with a Fixnation in our country.
    Sometimes it's not about the money, it's about the humans who think that it's cruel to neuter or claim religion doesn't allow for it. It takes patience to convert (if at all possible!) these wrong mindsets.

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  3. Fixnation is a totally awesome organization....that's a lot of cats through there in one day but just imagine the impact that makes on the homeless cat situation. Sammy says it's PAWSOME too!

    Pam and Sam

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  4. What a wonderful organization..and I guess no matter how much I know or learn..read and see I will always be emotionally affected by these scenarios and grateful for any and all help.

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  5. What a fantastic organization! You can tell by reading this article, that this is a labour of love.

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  6. How wonderful that these good people give their time and medical care and love to cats in need!!!

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  7. I am so happy when I hear of groups like that!

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  8. Paws up for this organization there, it's wonderful! And I'm enchanted by the lovely Greta!She is a doll!
    purrs
    Luna - WE LOVE LUNA

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  9. Sure wish there were more of those all over the country. There are lots of private people doing the TNR but to have an operation like that would be awesome. That is so terrific. Have a great day.

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  10. Great job FixNation!

    Here in the Cayman Islands we have C.A.R.E (Cayman Animal Rescue Enthusiasts) and through them we managed to spay/neuter 6 feral cats that now live happy and healthy in our yard... Keep up the good work!

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  11. How wonderful that you have so many good and sincere organisations which help the pets in your country!

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  12. Thank Dog for programs like this!

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  13. What a wonderful program!

    As someone who lives with three formerly feral cats (all humanely trapped as kittens) this is especially close to my heart. I love my cats dearly, and wouldn't part with them for anything, but the reality is that it was never in my "plan" to have three cats. But in kitten season, kittens do, indeed, bloom, and this last go round when I had trapped Finn, I called three different rescue groups, but they were all completely overwhelmed. One woman had seventeen foster cats or kittens at that time, and there was just no place for Finn. Of course there was no way I was taking him to a shelter.

    Still, I live in fear of "the next one" that happens along.

    Thank goodness there are programs like this out there. I just wish there were more of them, or, better yet, that people would be responsible so that they would not be necessary.

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  14. I <3 TNR and feral kitties. Thanks for featuring a post for your homeless cousins, Cody.

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  15. @Sparkle, i thought of that when they wanted to guest blog, I had a feeling you would know them! Thank you for verifying that they are, indeed, awesome!!

    @Cynthia you are welcome! I was a foster kitty so I know about not having a home

    @Tucker THANK YOU for your heart-felt and knowledgeable comment. You rock having feral kitties!!

    @rumpy AMEN!

    @Priscilla that is so true, if only we had more responsible PEOPLE!

    @Sunshine I didn't realize that the six kitties in your yard were spayed/neutered! That is wonderful and wonderful of you to have done that! I should go and work for "C.A.R.E." it is practically my name! "Caren" :)

    @Marg it IS terrific for sure!! You have a great day too!

    @Luna, Greta is stunning, isn't she?
    You have a wonderful day as well!

    @Brian us too!

    @Cat I wish that others would follow suit!

    @Wendy that is for sure!

    @Katie I couldn't agree more!

    @sam you aren't one "spoiled" cat you are one "smart!" cat!

    @The Furries you are so right. I just don't understand that mindset at all!

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  16. That is one noble cause. Well done! We have similar selfless folk here who have given evrything to help feral and stray kitties.

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  17. Thanks for spotlighting this wonderful organization!

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  18. That sounds like an amazing organization !! So nice to see people fix the "cat problem" in this way rather than suggest letting them be or worse, mass euthanasia.
    Thanks for sharing !!!
    Purrs Tillie and Georgia,
    Tiger,Treasure and JJ

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  19. FixNation is amazing! What a wonderful thing they are doing.

    Thank you so much for stopping by to wish Mom Tracey a happy birthday. We all helped hr celebrate this past weekend!

    The turnout for Senior Cat Sunday event was sort of light, which was disappointing. But this was the first time PAWS tried such an event, and the shelter director says we are going to keep on trying. We all know there are loving homes out there for these awesome older cats. And we'll just keep on loving them until they find those homes. :)

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  20. FixNation is such a great organization! I admire these caring, wonderful people. I love the comment "it starts with just one." Many "ones" help many cats!

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  21. The work you are doing is truly wonderful. The group I work with does the same but on a much smaller scale. We have an event scheduled for this weekend with about 50 cats registered so far. If not for the volunteer vets and vet students who give their time our program would not be nearly so successful.

    TNR works!

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