I've been busy- and not just with pet sitting. I find it hard to sit still and to be honest- I'll never be done with animal rescue. I'll always have one foot in that world.
The Middle Way Project is just an idea for now- but hopefully it will become a fully functional nonprofit organization in the future. The idea is designed to be both beneficial to domestic pets and wildlife. Relocate dumped, abandoned, nonnative and potentially invasive domestic animals. Remove them from the ecosystem and place them in responsible homes or use them for educational purposes. The starting point is cats as that's the most immediate need in my community but I'd love to include abandoned bunnies and reptiles eventually.
The project will start as a fiscally sponsored organization while applying for nonprofit status. During this phase, the focus is education, spay neuter services and utilizing foster homes to socialize feral cats to prepare them for permanent placement in indoor homes. There will be a fund for low income spay and neuter surgeries, speaking and literature and aggressive fundraising for phase two. Because of fiscal sponsorship, donations will be tax deductible.
Phase two is a sanctuary. Simple at first but enough to house any cats that are not ready for placement. There will be a big push for responsible pet ownership, indoor enrichment and training to prevent problem behaviors that often get pets dumped outside.
I'm calling the model TNT:
Trap
Neuter
Tame and Rehome
The populations served are:
Cats on private property that are not wanted there, causing nuisance behaviors or at risk of experiencing cruelty.
Cats or other pets dumped in state parks, wildlife areas and places where impact to the ecosystem is greatest.
Cats that are advanced in age, special needs or are otherwise not good candidates for TNR (Trap, neuter, return to field).
I'm including a link to the pitch deck as it's more detailed. Hopefully soon I can start taking donations and get everything off the ground. But for now, I'll take any ideas, criticisms, words of wisdom or encouragement you can offer.