News and Announcements

Conway, South Carolina – The Horry County Animal Care Center was awarded a $51,060 grant from PetSmart Charities® to Trap Neuter & Return 1,000 free-roaming cats in the 29526 zip code (Conway area) to reduce the feral population in Horry County. The Horry County Animal Care Center will host four public education meetings regarding the project to explain the purpose of the project, how the project will be accomplished and how the public can get involved with the project. Below is a listing of the upcoming meetings that will be held in the Horry County Government & Justice Center (1301 2nd Avenue in Conway) in Multipurpose Room B:

• Tuesday, January 15, at 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 22, at 4 p.m. and at 6 p.m.
• Thursday, January 31, at 3 p.m.

This initiative will aim to reduce the number of kittens being born, thereby lowering the number of cats that enter the Animal Care Center. Our goal is to reduce the number of feral cats by breaking the cycle before the kittens are even born, through a Trap-Neuter-Return program. The 29526 zip code has been identified as the location of where the most intakes of feral and free-roaming cats are brought in to the center.

Along with spay/neutering 1000 free-roaming cats, the grant will also provide those cats with a rabies vaccine and will be ear-tipped, before they are released. The ear-tipped is universally recognized as a sign that a cat has been neutered. “Stray and feral cats are the greatest source of the center’s overpopulation,” stated Kelly Bonome, Operations Manager for the Horry County Animal Care Center. “If we can assist in breaking the cycle of reproduction, these free –roaming cats will be less of a nuisance to our community.”

For more information about the services of the Horry County Animal Care Center, please log onto www.horrycounty.org or visit them on Facebook. They can also be reached at 915-5172.

About PetSmart Charities
Established in 1994, PetSmart Charities, Inc. is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that creates and supports programs that save the lives of homeless pets, raise awareness of companion animal welfare issues and promote healthy relationships between people and pets. The largest funder of animal-welfare efforts in North America, PetSmart Charities has provided more than $165 million in grants and programs benefiting animal-welfare organizations and has helped save the lives of more than 5 million pets through its in-store adoption program. To learn more about how PetSmart Charities is working toward its vision of a lifelong, loving home for every pet, visit petsmartcharities.org or call 1-800-423-PETS (7387).

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