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The start of the North Jetty Cats Plus began as three small streams united and were joined by many other small streams to form a mighty river of help, not only for the cats on the North Jetty but any abandoned cat or kittens in the area.
Lee and Ursula Elliott moved into their home which was close to the North Jetty. As Ursula walked her dog along the Jetty she noticed many feral cats among the rocks. People were feeding these hungry, sick and abandoned cats so Ursula decided to do the same.
Charles and Janis Heuser were spending Christmas '92 in their new home and rather than buy presents for each other, they decided to look around and do something to improve the area in which they chose to live. Janis discovered the abandoned cats on the North Jetty and in the process, heard about Ursula. She looked her up and together they began to think of ways to help the cats on the North Jetty.
| Don and Jeannie Snook are old time residents and Jeannie was concerned about the cats on the Jetty and was doing her best to help feed them. Jeannie won a contest in town so when Janis and Ursula each gave $100 to start a fund to help the North Jetty cats, Jeannie added another $100 and the North Jetty Cats Plus program was born. |
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These three women became part of the solution to a persistent problem. Ursula lived the closest so she set up a feeding schedule. Janis, because of her 16 years as an Animal Health Technician became responsible for the spay/neuter program, medical treatments, and adoptions. She enlisted the help of Dr. Rivers and then Town and Country Animal Clinic. Jeannie became the all-around assistant, doing what needed to be done. Charles, Don and Lee were enlisted to build feeding shelters and houses. They built the houses and bolted them to cement slabs and rocks to prevent the winter winds, which at times reach 100 miles an hour, from blowing the houses away. All three husbands supported their wives in cat and kitten rescues from trash bins, empty houses from which people moved and abandoned their animals, to burlap sacks of kittens thrown into the ocean. Janis caught the first 16 cats by hand and Lee spent many hours live-trapping the next 23. Once a cat was caught, arrangements would be made to get that cat to the veterinarian. |
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In the years since North Jetty Cats Plus was started, over a thousand felines have been spayed and neutered, vaccinated, and adopted into loving homes. The cost of this program has been paid for by gifts of food, donations of funds and the proceeds from the North Jetty Cats Plus silent auction which is held once a year. The nine faithful feeders buy the food they bring to the 15 permanent resident cats on the North Jetty, plus any newly abandoned cats or kittens.
The North Jetty Cats Plus program can always use donations of food, gifts of money, and especially, people who are willing to help transport cats, provide a foster home, or be a feeder.
It takes many people to take care of abandoned, sick and hungry cats. We have been supported by such people both near and far. We thank each and every one of you. Your continuous support will enable us to keep helping through the North Jetty Cats Plus program. If you need more information as to how you can be a helper, where to bring food, send gifts, or make financial donations, please contact:
Janis Heuser
27778 Hunter Creek Road
247-6444
or
Ursula Elliott
94013 Wedderburn Loop
Gold Beach, OR 97444
247-6747
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