Working with Stray HELP, its board members and volunteers has been a rewarding and fun experience. As a board member I get to be close to the daily workings of this organization and am so impressed at the dedication and commitment to rescuing, getting medical attention and placing felines so that the local cat population can become more manageable and safe for all concerned. The mission is one of complete selflessness and the functioning of Stray HELP must be supported by communities and encouraged enthusiastically. I am proud to be a part of this!
Stray Help members are a gem. This group of hard working volunteers rescue, support, feed, and represent the feral cat community of Dutchess County. I am so thankful they exist.
Stray HELP is very close to my heart - in 2014 the president rescued a cat for me Mikey, that had been living on my patio for 4 years he was so afraid of me i worried about him constantly and then I met Ann - the president. In November 2014 she trapped him for me and after 3 weeks his loveable side appeared and he turned in his feral card As it turned out in 2016 he was diagnosed with diabetes thank GOD i had him indoors and could give him the life saving insulin he needs - I also adopted another rescue from her in 2018 Thumbelina they are both so loveable - Mikey is the orange one and thumbelina the torbie. Mikey was very sick in 2019 and nearly died 3 or 4 times - he had many surgeries as can be seen from one of the photos below.
I became more and more involved with StrayHELP and am on the board as the correspondence secretary and volunteer from home as i am disabled so i do their computer work keeping track of the rescues and the TNRs and adoptions and sending out ty cards, etc. and keeping track of donations and finances, etc.
The organization and helped thousands of cats over the years all the volunteers are an amazing group of people who work together in complete harmony to get the job done and to care for so many colonies and fostering many cats,
Im so proud and happy to be a part of this amazing cat rescue and to be able to help in any way that I can
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this organization is so close to my heart - i had a cat living outside my condo and i took care of him for about 3-4 years he was so afraid of me but I knew he was just afraid and not a nasty cat the president of StrayHELP trapped him for me Nov 16, 2014 and he's been an indoor cat ever since ... loving life and as it turned out he's diabetic so he has special needs .. he's just a lovebug and i adopted another cat from them as well ... she is 7 yrs old but looks and acts like a kitten .. the orange boy had some surgery but little thumbelina mothers him its so cute StrayHELP has helped thousands of cats over the years and placed many in good homes and healed so many sick babies and rescued and TNR's countless cats and kittens ... im proud to say im part of this organization as i help with their computer work as well as being a "client" :)
Don’t know her ‘title’ but Kim, while having a conversation about the possibility of adopting a young cat asked if our cat was indoor or outdoor. I told her definitely indoor. She then pressed and asked “has he ever been outdoors at all?” Not being one to lie or even color the truth I told her that our cat was out on our second story deck IN MY ARMS once, at which point she got very judgmental and declared ‘she doesn’t allow adoption as outside cats” and that the cat “could jump out of my arms and run away and then they would have to come and trap the cat...”. which was one of the most ridiculous statements about cats I’ve heard in my 60 years of caring for cats. I’ve raised cats my entire life. My cats routinely live into their 20’s. Our vet knows us and I’m sure have used glowing reviews, yet this woman obviously had a problem (with men? Honesty? Reality?) and tells me that she “just can’t allow” this adoption.
I was stunned and quite honestly offended by this person. So much so that I texted her that it was the most ridiculous conversation about cats I’ve ever had.
Does PerSmart know this person and her issues?
Edited to reply to Ann:
No need for an 'interpretation' Ann, I have the recorded conversation.
In addition:
During conversations with PetSmart AND one of the other non-profit orgs in your area BOTH said that your organization is quite well known for this kind of thing. In fact, I was told that your representative did EXACTLY the same kind of thing to him. Researching further, several other entities said your organization seems to have a problem with men, specifically.
The fact that every single review here is by a woman seems to confirm this conclusion.
Men, beware. Cat lover or not, this organization is NOT for you. Find one that assesses based on things that affect the CAT, not the person doing the interview.
NOT A SINGLE QUESTION on how the cat is fed?, how often is the litter changed?, what kind of litter do you use?, do you play often with the cat? what kind of toys does it have? how many cats have you had? what was the average age they lived to?, how often do you take the cat to the vet?, do you have a carrier? how big is it?
No, instead the single question that is harped on to the point of offense is "if you took the cat in your arms outside on your deck ONCE it MUST be an outside cat!!!"
I hope you treat the cats better than the men that attempt to adopt them. At least now I know why you asked me 4 times to speak to my wife! BTW, my wife listened to the recording and is MORE upset at how your organization handled this that I was!
Ann L. 07/12/2020
Hi Jeff, Thank you for your feedback. While we don't share your interpretation of the conversation, we can appreciate your disappointment we are not a match for you. Best of luck finding a new cat for your family! Ann, president, Stray HELP
I lived in an apartment complex a few years back that was overwhelmed with feral cats. There were 3 kittens that I grew attached to and wanted to try and help get them homed. I trapped them and then didn’t know what to do!! I called shelters local to me for help but as most know who go through something like this, most can’t. Whether due to capacity or other reasons. After going though enough channels I learned of Ann. She went above and beyond, saw me and the 3 boys right away. Took time out of her busy day to help a stranger help some kittens! Provided guidance and coached and encouraged me through the process. Years later our paths crossed again. In aw of all that she does and hoping to make a small difference myself, I eventually started volunteering which has added So much value to my life!!! Stray HELP is an amazing organization that not only saves lives but also builds friendships. This is the best organization I know, Hands Down!! I’m forever grateful for All that she has done for me!!
I cannot say enough good things about Ann and her non-profit. She is working tirelessly to make life better for cats in her care and those whom she may never know. I found a stray cat on a Sunday - I needed help so badly. I called Ann and she let me bring the cat so she could examine him and gave me a crate and food and instructions and help. We finally found an incredible home for Cooper. I could NOT have done that without Ann's help. I'm forever grateful.
I met Ann back in 2017 when I was living in a development in Wappingers Falls with a serious cat problem. As I was leaving for work one morning Ann stopped by because she saw I was feeding the cats and kittens. Ann and Stray Help came into the Development and managed to TNR every single cat there. Knowing my love for all animals, soon after I began volunteering with Stray Help. Stray Help is doing amazing things for the cats in our community. Everyone works so hard to do the best they can. I am proud to be a part of Stray Help!
I became a volunteer with Stray Help a few years ago. This is an amazing group of volunteers who give up their time and money to feed, trap, foster, vet, adopt and love the hundreds of kittens and cats that pass through our lives. It is a neverending quest to put a dent in the birth of feral kittens by TNRing, providing medical care and vaccinations, feeding, providing shelter and educating the public on all of the above. We go above and beyond to support each other in our mission and someone is always available to support our adopters. Fabulous people!
Strayhelp helped me get two loves of my life. I love my kitties and the work that they do!
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There are not enough words to describe what an amazing organization this is and what they do for the communities of cats who have been ignored and abandoned by so many. Ann and the rest of the staff are tireless in helping the stray cats and they are to be commended for all that they do. I just cannot say enough about the work that they selflessly do day in and day out and they are true heroes to those who cannot speak for themselves.
StrayHELP is such an awesome organization! It's made up of a group of people who consistently do the right thing when it comes to the feral community. No matter the cost, they put the animals first. Everything is done through private donations or from their own pockets.
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Stray Help is a wonderful organization, where every animal gets a chance. I was blessed with the opportunity to bring home a kitty that would have been euthanized had she gone to the SPCA. Bette was out of control when she was first rescued. Now, she's a loving, playful kitty! All she needed was to feel safe, loved and secure.
Stray Help is an incredible organization. They truly care about the animals and what they’re doing. In March, they put up with me and my daughters while we searched for the perfect cat, and with their help we found him! I wanted to get a slightly older kitty that may not be as easily as adoptable as a kitten. Mufasa was exactly what we were looking for. He was let out and immediately bonked my 7-year-old’s leg and snuggled her. We both fell in love. Right now, he’s thrown himself at me and has taken over half of the keyboard!!! The volunteers for this group do so much more than TNR and adoptions. Recently, Mufasa got out through our back door. I was panicked!!! I’d never had a pet get out before. Ann, Kim and Tyler went WAY above and beyond to help me. Between lending me humane traps and all their advice, we got him back after only a week! I don’t think it would have been possible without them. My daughters and I are so grateful for everything they do. We will continue to recommend them to everyone we know!
Absolutely love Stray Help! They consist of many volunteers working tirelessly to curb the over population of stray/feral, cats/kittens in our county. From TNR, feeding colonies, transport, raising awareness and so much more they are a dedicated team. I have done TNR with them in the past and had the privilege of working with Kim. They are truly in it to improve our community and the cats in it! They have also helped me get my two furbabies to clinic also which I am very thankful for, they were once strays as well. They also help work with families struggling or needing help getting there cats fixed if they can.
They do great work for the community
It’s amazing how much they care about all cats, not just the friendly ones, but the ferals too. They give lots of advice on how to properly care for the outside ferals and strays.
They are a small group but very powerful. They have a great group of volunteers that go above and beyond
I highly recommend
I cannot say enough great things about Ann LaGoy and the team at Stray Help! I came across them online while looking to adopt a kitty and ended up adopting three of the most precious cats. The work that this organization does is vital to the communities it serves and to the lives of the animals lucky enough to be helped by them. If you are looking to adopt a kitten or a cat, these are people to go to.
Stray Help of Fishkill N.Y. is an important organization for our town. Ann Lagoy
and her team dedicate themselves to the process of fostering and placing stray and feral cats and kittens.They have put in place a TNR service that the public can use to curb the population explosion of cats. They educate us and give us all the help they can. All villages and towns and cities should have this program put into place..It is a great resolve to a neglectful and irresponsible situation that man has created..It works!!!
Stray Help's volunteers are some of the most dedicated I've seen. They work 7 days a week, 365 days a year to help the animals in their community, educate people in their community and make a positive impact.
Stray Help is a group of dedicated volunteers who help trap, neuter, and release feral cats back into their colonies. They foster and adopt out cats and kittens that can be rehabilitated as well as feed feral colonies.
Stray Help trapped four feral kittens that were living under a tarp that was covering a pile of trash. They went into foster care, received medical care, were neutered and are now being adopted. This would not have been possible without them.
Stray H.E.L.P. helps the community as well as cats in need by running a monthly Spay/Neuter clinic. They offer workshops on teaching TNR so those individuals needing assistance can also participate in the rescue. It's an "all hands on deck" approach. You are making a difference in the lives of homeless cats. Thank you Stray Help!
This is a wonderful organization with whom I had a very positive experience. On the whole, Stray Help is doing amazing work to protect animal rights. And it also encourages taking measures to control the pet population with its high quality, low-cost spay/neuter clinic affiliation. Cats can also receive essential vaccinations through the clinic, in an effort to protect the animals against rabies and feline AIDS/leukemia. Our community is made better through the caring work of this nonprofit.
Stray Help is a great group. They have helped me with so many feral cats, and cats that were found in colonies that were friendly and taken into their program in order to find a forever home. Im so thankful to them.
I have many feral cat locations that I help take care of when the main feeder is unable. When I started helping him I realized that most of the cats were not spayed/neutered. I reached out to Ann (President) of Stray Help explained what was going on and she gave me the go ahead to start trapping and she would help me as much as she could with the cost through her group, and direct me of where I could get certificates to help financially in addition to what they had already been doing.
Since May of 2018 Stray Help has helped me with 35 cats/kittens
Ferals that were spayed/neutered and then returned to their colony, some were friendly cats that were fostered and have been put into the program and are available for adoption, some were kittens that have been taken into the program and are available for adoption. Without this great group all these poor creatures would still be multiplying like crazy, and the friendly ones would still be out there homeless
They have a great group of volunteers that help foster, trap for TNR, they have volunteers that go to PetSmart everyday and clean cages that the cats/kittens are in, feed them, play with them, and love them. The volunteers offer the public information about everything Stray Help offers, they also assist in the adoptions
They have volunteers that help with setting up appointments for the monthly clinic, volunteers that help with the web page and social media to try and keep everything up to date.
Like I mentioned above, that was 35 cats/kittens from just me that were helped...That’s only a small percentage of how many cats/kittens have passed through this amazing group in some aspect whether TNR or foster to adoption. Below I will share 2 pictures of 2 adult feral cats that were recently spayed and returned to their colony, and 2 pictures of kittens that were rescued and have been recently adopted.
Stray Help is an awesome organization, and is a pleasure to work with.
I thank them for all they have done for so many beautiful cats
Kim
I adopted 3 young adult cats from Stray Help!! We had a hard time getting one of them to come out. He was hiding in our basement. Anne from Stray Help came to our home she got him out of the basement and taught us how to work with him to get him to adjust. She took her time and gave us and loaned us a crate to help him adjust. We followed her recommendations and he is still a scardy cat but he is out with the other cats and we love him Anne continues to check on him and appreciate the time she put into helping him be the best that he can be I recommend stray help to everyone I can the volunteers work tirelessly and are a wonderful friendly resource if you need ine
We adopted our two cats from stray help and can’t imagine our lives without them. The work Stray Help does is tremendous. They are working tirelessly to trap, neuter and release the cats they find. And find homes for those that can be adopted. They also frequently take care of medical issues for these cats. They are a vital part of our community.
StrayHELP is a godsend for our feral friends. Many cats have been given a chance at a life free of strife hunger sickness and pregnancies. Controlllli g our cat population is key in this groups efforts. Medical care fostering and love help these babies find homes or join a working cat program. Animal rights and solutions for overpopulation is what StrayHELP strives for. Thank you for all that you do for these precious cats.