Friends of Community Cat Companions
About Our Friends
Community Cat Companions and the Community Cat groups of Lake County and Ashtabula Counties are fortunate to have many friends. Some of these friends are partner organizations, others are volunteers, supporters, and sometimes a special individual that doesn’t even realize how much they have helped us. Included here are individuals who have made a contribution or are contributing to our organization in a unique way. We have special “Funds” to assist with the medical needs of our cats and kittens in our adoption program, as well as programs to assist with the cost of TNR. We have added an in memoriam section that recognizes the contributions of “Friends” that have passed. We are very grateful for the support that we receive from all of our friends!
Laura’s Fund for Wayward Cats
Micah Memorial Fund
The Micah Memorial Fund
The Micah Memorial Fund was established in 2017 by Animal Medical Center of Euclid, with Lynne, in memory of her cat Micah. This fund is renewed annually and is intended to benefit cats or kittens that need extraordinary care that either saves or improves the quality of life and improves the likelihood of adoption.
Donations can be made to Animal Medical Center of Euclid
Memo: Micah Memorial Fund
24100 Lakeshore Blvd.
Euclid, OH 44123
rocky was a beneficiary of the Foster Emergency fund
Foster Emergency Fund
The Foster Emergency Fund was established by one of our dedicated volunteers to cover the cost of “extraordinary” medical expenses relating to the cats and kittens in our foster program. Extraordinary expenses include but are not limited to X-rays, bloodwork, surgeries, specialty veterinary visits or medications and/or euthanasia.
Rocky was one of a litter of six kittens born to a very young mother. He was much smaller than his littermates and required supplemental feedings in order to survive. Rocky was treated for an upper respiratory infection but developed what was believed to be pneumonia. After many tests and visits to a specialty vet, it was discovered that Rocky suffers from a condition that is so rare that the clinic has never seen a case in cats. One of Rocky’s lungs is undeveloped. His heart is slightly enlarged and out of position as a result. He is on medication and monitored closely. His long-term prognosis is unknown but he is doing very well today. He remains with his foster mom and celebrated his first birthday in February. His care has been extremely expensive and without the fund would have proved difficult, if not impossible.
Rocky before & after medical care.
THE JANET REED FUND
The Janet Reed Fund
The Janet Reed Fund was created in 2017 by a PetFix benefactor to assist with the cost of TNR surgeries in Lake County. It has since been expanded to include cats trapped in Ashtabula County. The Janet Reed Fund is a $15 subsidy toward the cost of surgery. To date the fund has received $15,200 and subsidized the surgeries of 1,000 cats!
Donate
PetFix of Northeast Ohio
Memo: Janet Reed Fund
PetFix
885 E 222nd Street
Euclid, OH 44123
ROGER L. PIKE SUBSIDY FOR PAINESVILLE TOWNSHIP
The Roger L. Pike Subsidy for Painesville Township
Tony and Jean Pike are an integral part of our Foster Program. They not only foster our adult cats but a great number of kittens each year. In 2019, they generously donated the use of a trailer for our Mobile Adoption Center. Tony installed custom built cages in a fully appointed trailer to house our cats and kittens that are transported to adoption events and festivals throughout Lake County. In this way we can reach out and educate a great number of people about our Trap-Neuter-Return and adoption programs.
The cats and kittens in our care come through our own trapping efforts. In 2020, Painesville Township created a sponsorship program to assist with the cost of spaying and neutering stray and feral cats in the TWP. In the same year, Tony’s dad and best friend, Roger, passed away. He lived next door and was a daily presence in the lives of Tony, Jean, and the foster cats and kittens. Lake County and Ashtabula Community Cats designates $2.50 for every adoption for the Painesville Township Sponsorship Program in memory of Roger L. Pike.
Donations can be made to the Painesville Township Collaborative TNR Program
https://lakecountycommunitycats.org/collaborative-tnr-program
LCCC's Mobile Adoption Unit.
DONNA VAUGHN
Donna Vaughn - Animal Lover
If you knew Donna Vaughn, then you know just how much she loved cats! She, of course, loved her own cats (inside and feral) but she also loved them in general and took up causes to improve their lives. She not only took up their cause with her checkbook but her time and talent. I met Donna several years ago when I trapped some feral kittens for her and thus it began. In 2015, as a member of Willowick Community Cats, Donna approached me with her desire to start a sister group in Eastlake, at the end of her term as an Eastlake Councilperson. Eastlake Community Cats was born! Donna served as the group’s secretary, answered phone calls, fundraised and was our liaison with the city. Finally, she threw her support behind what we were hoping would be a new TNR ordinance in Eastlake. Less than 2 weeks following her death, the ordinance that she worked so hard to pass went into effect. What a great tribute for her! We affectionately refer to the ordinance as ‘Donna’s Law’. Her work is done and she can rest easy knowing that her beloved cats will be safe. We love and miss her.
DICK GODDARD WAS AN ANIMAL ADVOCATE
Goddard's Law
Dick Goddard was a much-loved man and a legend in Northeast Ohio. He was an animal advocate and made huge strides in the fight against animal cruelty in the state of Ohio. His biggest impact came when Goddard’s Law was passed in Ohio in 2016. The law made acts of cruelty against a companion animal a fifth-degree felony, punishable by six months to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. That includes depriving a pet of food, water or shelter. This law has been extremely beneficial to the plight of feral cats. It designates all cats as companion animals, ensuring that stray and feral cats are entitled to the same protections under the law as “owned” cats. We will be forever in his debt. He is loved and missed.
Dick Goddard with a beautiful Torte.
Dawn Ikehara
