Spreading Holiday Cheer This Season at HART
Dear HART Friends,
We hope this Mewsetter finds you well and that, like us, you are looking forward to the joys of the Holiday season. But before we turn the calendar to 2025, we have a lot of fundraising work to do to ensure that HART can continue caring for and finding forever homes for the hundreds of cats we take in annually.
Our budgets are stretched thin this year due to the rising price of veterinary care, food, and medical supplies. To remain solvent, we must raise $105,000 by year’s end. We know we can do it!
To inspire you and give you an understanding of our needs, we’ll introduce you to Vito and Graves, two older kitties who recently came into our care a little worse for wear. Our hope is that by November, which happens to be Adopt a Senior Pet Month, they will be on the road to recovery and ready for adoption.
Speaking of adopting a senior pet, we have the “Happy Tail” of Kiwi, a sweet senior who is now in permanent foster care with a HART volunteer after being in our shelter for nearly two years. And then there’s Salt, a young cat who was truly lost, but finally did make his way back to family thanks to the dedication of our staff and volunteers.
We can only help these cats and the hundreds of others like them because of the generous support of our community. Whether you adopt, volunteer, or donate, your contribution is essential to our ability to sustain our mission of providing the very best care for all cats that make their way to us until we can find each of them an appropriate home.
If you are able to help, please donate to our Year-End Fundraiser. To keep our good work going, we must raise $105,000 before year-end. Just $10 will go a long way.
Thank you, from all of us at HART!
Meet Debbie
Debbie is a playful and pretty, 11-year-old girl who came to HART in Feb 2024 when her owner passed away. Debbie has shown us that she enjoys people more than other cats. While she is a friendly and affectionate cat, she also likes her alone time and will let you know when she’s had enough attention. Debbie could be a purrfect match for you if you are looking for a single cat, enjoy cat conversations, understand cat body language, and want to give a senior girl a forever home. We know she’ll reward you for it!
Golden Years: Graves' Path to Recovery
Graves, a sweet, 16-year-old cat, was discovered as a stray in Cumberland, Maine in September. His friendly demeanor quickly won over the hearts of those who found him, leading them to take him to Falmouth Veterinary Hospital for a much-needed checkup. Dr. Brian Graves, the cat’s namesake, gave him a thorough exam and treatment, and uncovered some concerning results. Graves was diagnosed with several health issues, including hyperthyroidism, cardiac disease, heart murmur, dental disease, renal disease, and cysts in his liver. Recognizing that this gentle soul required extensive care and attention, Dr. Graves contacted HART’s Medical Manager and arranged for us to take over Graves’ care. Once at HART, we began to address Graves’ numerous health concerns. We are happy to report that this feline has made significant progress over the past month after receiving dedicated medical attention and much love from HART staff and volunteers. Graves recently underwent a dental procedure involving multiple extractions, which helped alleviate some of his discomfort. His digestive system has normalized as well. Despite his challenges, this sweet and remarkable feline now looks forward to enjoying his golden years surrounded by love and comfort. It will cost HART nearly $4,500 to get Graves ready for adoption, but this elderly kitty will soon be ready for his forever home, where he’s sure to capture the heart of his new family, just as he has ours!
Vito's Journey: From the Farm to Healing
Vito, a resilient, 12-yearold cat from Troy, Maine, spent nearly a year living around a local farm before a kind individual noticed he was very thin and his right eye was unhealthy. Concerned for his well-being, she caught him and provided temporary shelter until she could bring him to HART. Upon arrival, we found that Vito was a severely underweight, intact male, and that he was suffering from a ruptured eye as well as diabetes and a heart murmur. We quickly transported him to the Animal Hospital of Saco, where they provided Vito with the medical attention he so desperately needed. Now on the mend, Vito is scheduled to have his eye removed later in October, after which he will receive a necessary dental cleaning and follow-up tests. We anticipate that his medical care will cost HART nearly $5,000. Once he completes his healing process, this sweet older boy will be ready to find his forever home.
Kiwi’s Happy Tail
Over the past two years, Kiwi, a 10-year-old brown patch tabby with soulful eyes, has had quite a journey. She arrived at HART in December of 2022 from our rescue partner, Friends of Feral Felines. Kiwi underwent surgery this year to remove her ear canal, a procedure that brought her relief from chronic, untreatable ear infections. This surgery was made possible thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors. Since then, Kiwi has been doing very well. Despite her ongoing health challenges and scruffy appearance, she’s a sweet, purring ball of love who adores being petted and brushed, quickly charming the hearts of our volunteers. One volunteer, Tim, formed an especially strong bond with her. Due to her medical needs and uncertain prognosis, our Medical Manager determined that Kiwi would thrive best in a Permanent Medical Foster Home, where she could enjoy a more relaxed environment away from any shelter stress. In early October, Tim graciously and lovingly took Kiwi into his home to ensure she receives the best care possible for the rest of her life. She has been adjusting great and loves life with Tim. We are deeply grateful to Tim for his unwavering commitment to HART and for becoming Kiwi’s long-term foster dad.
A Long Road Home: Salt's Story of Rescue and Hope
Salt’s journey takes unexpected turns and finally leads him back to his family, all made possible by the compassion of a good Samaritan and the efforts of HART. Adopted in South Carolina in 2021, Salt traveled all across the country with his owner, Paul. In late April, Paul and Salt were on their way to Maine to make a new life in Millinocket. On the way through, Salt leaped from the car at the New Gloucester toll plaza on the Maine Turnpike and disappeared. Paul searched frantically but couldn’t find him, and ultimately had to continue on to Millinocket. And then, a few weeks later, Paul unexpectedly passed away.
Reluctantly left behind and adrift, Salt’s future seemed uncertain. Eventually, Salt found his way to a home off Mayall Road in New Gloucester in June, repeatedly trying to get inside. For weeks, he hovered close as if searching for a place of belonging. When the homeowners finally secured Salt, they brought him to HART. Our Medical Manager and volunteers worked to trace his past. Fortunately, Salt was microchipped, and when we couldn’t reach Paul, we were able to connect with the emergency contact listed on his microchip registration, Rachel. She, in turn, connected with her uncle, Wendel, in Rockland, Maine. With HART’s assistance, Wendel arranged to retrieve the wayward cat and ultimately brought him to his family in Massachusetts. Before the journey, HART ensured that Salt received the necessary care, including vaccinations, to prepare him for his new chapter.
Volunteer Spotlight: Joann Wallace
We want to take this opportunity to celebrate long-time volunteer Joann Wallace, who, after 22 years of committed service to HART, is stepping back from her very active role in building up and supporting the shelter we know and treasure today.
Joann started volunteering back in 2002 at the original shelter barn on Greely Road, working as a cleaner and doing whatever was necessary to help the rescued cats brought to Cumberland. She became increasingly involved and was one of the critical players instrumental in the construction of the new shelter in 2004. Despite owning a successful business and traveling a lot, Joann always found time to play a key role in many shelter programs and activities. Over the years, she has worn many hats, doing rescues, administering medications, and handling surrenders and adoptions.
Joann managed the very active Kitten Program for many years alongside Suellen Clark, and usually had at least one group of foster kittens running around her house. She also implemented HART’s Beyond the Walls program, assisting community members with limited means to care for their cats’ urgent medical needs. Joann has worked very closely with HART’s Medical Manager, taking a medical shift in the shelter when needed, and donning scrubs and gown to help bathe or treat cats and kittens.
On the fundraising front, Joann co-chaired HART’s Capital Campaign in 2010, which raised money to pay off the shelter’s mortgage. Joann was also a long-term HART Treasurer and Board Member until 2023. In addition, Joann has headed up HART’s Annual Yard and Bake Sale for many years. It’s hard to believe, but this major undertaking began as a fundraiser on a much smaller scale in 2005 in the shelter’s parking lot, where we constantly battled the weather! She was responsible for moving the fundraiser to the Cumberland Fairgrounds in 2014 and was successful in making it HART’s biggest fundraising event of the year.
In 2010, Joann’s dedication and hard work were recognized when she was voted “Shelter Worker of the Year” by the Animal Control Officers of Maine. This prestigious award is a testament to Joann’s unwavering commitment to both the shelter and its mission, as well as animal welfare and rescue.
It is difficult to list all of the ways in which Joann has been instrumental to HART’s vitality. Her most valuable skill has been listening to everyone, giving sound advice in many areas, and caring deeply for all HART volunteers and cats. Joann has always dropped everything to help someone or rescue a cat in need, night or day.
Thank you, Joann!
Thank You, Maine Beer Company!
In October, Maine Beer Company visited HART with exciting news: They released Weez, a Black IPA dedicated to HART, for the first time in nearly a decade. They also met our team, learned more about the shelter, and spent time with our cats. Huge thanks to Maine Beer for honoring our work and supporting local nonprofits! To grab this limited-release brew, visit mainebeercompany.com/beer/weez. Cheers!
And…SAVE THE DATE!
Maine Beer Company will be hosting our annual Bids & Brews Auction Event on December 5th! Visit hartofme.org for details.
Every Dollar Makes a Difference in the Lives of HART Cats!
When cats arrive at HART, they receive top-quality care, and that can come at a high cost. Every cat gets vaccinations, a microchip, testing, spaying or neutering, and sometimes extensive medical treatments which cost thousands of dollars. As a no-kill shelter, we never turn away a cat due to medical needs. Instead, we provide compassionate care to each one, regardless of their condition. HART is primarily volunteer-run and offers hundreds of homeless cats a safe haven each year.
We receive no public funding and rely entirely on the generosity of individual donors like you. Your support enables us to fulfill our mission to provide a safe refuge, comprehensive care, and necessary medical attention for cats who have been surrendered, abandoned, injured, or abused, and to find them loving homes within the community. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of our income sources and how your generosity helps us achieve our goal of helping as many cats in need as we possibly can.
HART’s Sources of Income
How Your Contributions Help HART
Our Average Medical Costs
Unwavering Care for HART Cats, Whatever It Takes
When a cat arrives at HART, our top priority is to ensure they are healthy and get them ready for adoption, even when it requires significant resources. Cats like Graves and Vito, who have faced serious medical challenges. With the support of our generous community, we’ve been able to provide them with the life-saving care they needed.
