Project Purr

Geographic areas served: the County of Santa Cruz, California

Programs: Project Purr is a non-profit feral cat/kitten rescue organization. Founded in 1987, Project Purr has been serving the residents of Santa Cruz County, California for 31 years and currently provides a free, unlimited feral cat and kitten spay/neuter program. Our mission includes educating and enabling our community to improve and save cats’ lives while humanely reducing the feral cat population. Our 100% volunteer organization works tirelessly to encourage residents to Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) unsocial cats and kittens in their neighborhoods. Project Purr brokered and funds two veterinary partners in north and south county. Last year our organization was responsible for spay/neutering almost 1,000 cats, not only improving the lives of those cats, but also humanely preventing thousands of kittens being born to an uncertain future. We offer this program completely free, regardless of income, and no voucher required. Unlike other animal rescue organizations that facilitate cat and kitten adoptions and whose adoption fees act as seed money to continue rescue, Project Purr subsidizes volume spay/neuter that has no cost recovery. The spay/neuter program includes FVRCP and rabies vaccines, parasite prophylaxis, microchip, and mandatory eartipping, a permanent visual identification that the cat has been fixed. Project Purr’s "Fix ’n’ Feed Pets In Need" program, which collects and distributes donated dog and cat food to those in need, was started with Valley Churches United food pantry in Ben Lomond, which helps homeless, low income, and seniors. Shortly afterwards distribution grew to include the St. Francis soup kitchen in Santa Cruz. Larger bags of food are broken down to manageable three pound bags. The need for pet food has increased and we are now distributing over 250 pounds per week year round. Keeping animals healthy and out of the shelters helps all animals. Again this year, a Project Purr board member taught classes at the Santa Cruz SPCA summer camp for kids. Learning the difference between a stray and a feral cat and the need to spay/neuter all outside cats teaches our children a kinder and more inclusive way to treat animals. Entering into its third year, Project Purr’s "Kits for Kittens: Saving the lives of the littlest" distributes packets with the items needed to help community members learn to feed and nurture very young orphaned kittens. Due to the intensive process of bottle-feeding, care taking and socialization, shelters often lack adequate resources to address all of those demands, resulting in a high risk of euthanasia. Each kit provides training material and products needed to raise the kittens to eight weeks old, when they can be spayed/neutered and adopted. Almost all of the kits distributed to pickup points throughout the county were used and countless kittens lives were saved. One of Project Purr’s co-founders, Lynne Achterberg, received the Santa Cruz County Volunteer Center's “Be the Difference” individual award and was recognized as one of the top individuals who do the most to transform our community. Most people love animals, many want a better world for them, and a surprising number work hard every day to make that dream happen. All of this comes together in Project Purr’s benefit resale shop, Rescued Treasures, now starting its sixth successful year. Thanks to its success, Project Purr supports life-saving surgeries, volume feral cat spay/neuter, serves as a resource for information on cats and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and has become a model for fundraising success to other animal rescue organizations nationwide. Each cat we spay/neuter today saves tens, then hundreds, then thousands of animals from entering tomorrow’s animal shelters. Trap-Neuter-Return prevents future unwanted kittens, lessens the strain on our overburdened animal shelters, and saves resources and taxpayer money. We appreciate and salute everyone for their ongoing efforts to humanely curtail the seemingly endless seasons of kittens and help our community achieve the goal of no more homeless animals. And thanks to the support of our animal-loving community, all of Project Purr’s programs are fully funded.