Getaway Donates $310 Toward Stray Cats Program
Amount does not include additional donations made directly to the project.
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Responding to a stray cats issue that has bothered many Baldwin Township residents, Getaway Cafe owner Lou Manolios hosted a trap-neuter-return (TNR) fundraiser at his restaurant on July 12.
Manolios said that the Getaway was "hopping" that day with diners that came specifically for the cats.
But no matter what their reason for coming, 20 percent of all patrons' bills (before taxes and not including alcohol) was donated to the volunteer group Animals Against The Odds Rescue and Rehab (AATO) for a TNR program that will include many cats living behind the Getaway.
All in all, July 12's diners raised $310 for the program through Getaway checks. And Manolios said that many people also came to the restaurant with cash to add directly to the pot.
"It costs like $35 for each cat to be spayed or neutered," Manolios said, "so the more (money) that we can raise, the better it is to help gain some control over all the cats that are out there.
"If they're spayed or neutered, then they can't inbreed. And then, eventually, they'll die naturally. There's probably about 25 cats (behind the Getaway), and they inbreed. That's the problem."
The Baldwin Township Board of Commissioners has not authorized the AATO to run its TNR program on Baldwin's public property, but private property remains fair game with permission from the owners.
Manolios is excited to help with what he calls a worthwhile effort.
"Hopefully, (people in) other townships will follow suit," he said.
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Baldwin Township Municipal Building (Administrative Offices)
10 Community Park Dr, Pittsburgh, PA -
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Getaway Cafe
3049 Sussex Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
cc
8:34 pm on Thursday, July 19, 2012
Thank you Lou and the staff at the GetAWay Cafe. I'm glad the money is being put to good use.
KristyV
10:46 pm on Thursday, July 19, 2012
That is a great thing you are doing with the spaying/neutering of the feral cats. But, how does that help with the feces (and there is a lot of it), the destruction of patio furniture from urination/feces, the killing of our songbirds, etc. that the cats do when you put them back in the neighborhood. And how about the cats that the irresponsible homeowners leave to carry out this destruction. Perhaps they are the ones that should be spayed or neutered.
cc
4:13 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
Call animal control on the neighbors that are leaving their cats run. Go to Baldwin Township and tell them you want a leash law for cats.
Margaret French
12:35 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
I guess it helps some but I think they live a longer life than we thnk since I have seen the one around here for years now. Probably six years now. I haven't seen it lately so maybe it was trapped. It is worth a try I suppose but they will still have to leave feces and urine somewhere, I guess just not as much urine. The only concern I have is that there will always be more uncaring owners who leave them out all the time so there will always be new ones to spay and neuter. It will just go on and on. Laws have to be enforced to stop it in the first place.
Debbie O'Rourke
8:38 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
Maybe we all need to advocate at the state level to adjust the laws to empower our local authorities.
Sandy Carlucci
9:25 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
The spayneuter program is tremendous and having cats around is a great advantage. They keep the mouse and rat population out of our neighborhoods. I would much rather see cats and kittens than rats and mice but we do need to make sure the cats are spayed/neutered or they will overpopulate.