This post is sponsored by Purina. As always, CatTipper only shares information that we support – and we all support the shelters that care for homeless cats. All opinions and statements are our own.
Time is our most valuable commodity, and while those who give the gift of their time freely in order to help cats in need never get back the hours they have spent, their commitment enriches their lives as well as that of every animal who has received their care.
As a thank you to the value of volunteers who help homeless felines, Purina Cat Chow recently conducted a contest to find the “Shelter Volunteer of the Year,” with one Purina Cat Chow shelter partner from each of the 50 states nominating a person whose passion for compassion has created a better future for our purring pals in need.
More than 272,000 votes were cast by fans of felines, with the volunteer story of Liz Taranda (above) and her decade-plus of dogged devotion to homeless kitties at Clifton Animal Shelter touching the hearts of the most cat-loving Purina Cat Chow consumers.
In recognition of Taranda’s tireless efforts over thousands of hours, Purina Cat Chow provided a $25,000 facility facelift to the Clifton Animal Shelter in Clifton, New Jersey, which will be enjoyed by its 800 adoptable animals (including 450 cats). Renovations included:
- refurbishment of the front office to offer the best first impression to potential pet parents
- improvements to the visitation area
- new windows, which provide better insulation and ventilation
- fresh paint, furniture and epoxy coating for the floor
The Runner-Up Winners
While Liz Taranda won the contest’s top honor, the following four runners-up were also commended for their commitment to paws causes with a $5,000 donation to their respective shelters:
- A proud pet parent to four rescue cats, Lauren Godail helps kitties at Animal Rescue New Orleans feel at home. Among the cats she has cared for are three felines who were temporarily homeless after a fire. When the cats rejoined their family, they left for their new home with household goods for their parents as well as kisses to remember their time with their kind-hearted caretaker.
- A driving force in animal welfare, Bob Anderson travels more than 200 miles each week to help felines at Cat Adoption Team in Oregon get on there road to a better tomorrow.
- A volunteer with the Atlanta Humane Society in Georgia, Barrett Henderson provided four foster cats with special needs attention to both their medical concerns and their emotional health.
- A volunteer with Hillside S.P.C.A. in Pennsylvania. Desiree Muench is always ready to tackle any task necessary to make life better for our purring pals.
In all, Purina Cat Chow contributed close to $100,000 among the 50 shelters which participated in the contest through cash donations, cat food and cat care supplies.
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