Car Show To Benefit Columbia Animal Shelter
"We were about nine months into our first year when everything changed," said Tammy Loughlin, executive director of Columbia Animal Shelter, which officially opened to the public on June 1, 2019.
Until the stay-at-home order was announced in March 2020, business had been booming at the private shelter that specializes in felines. "Our vision is to help manage the overpopulation of cats in Columbia," Loughlin said, adding that only residents of the borough may surrender domesticated cats for rehoming, but anyone may adopt from the shelter. "We have a lot of adopters coming in from far away," Loughlin said. "We're excited about the reach we're starting to get. If ever the shelter is empty, we've done our job."
The shelter took in about 300 cats in 2019 and is on track to more than double that number in 2020, Loughlin related. And that is with a three-month shutdown.
"We were completely full with a waiting list when (the pandemic) hit," Loughlin said. The Columbia Animal Shelter is located in the old Vigilant Fire Hall, 265 S. 10th St., Columbia. The 8,000-square-foot facility has a small area for dogs and capacity for 120 cats.
While the stay-at-home order was in place, staff members took care of the animals that were living in the shelter. Once in the yellow phase, intakes and adoptions were handled via appointment. The shelter reopened its low-cost spay/neuter clinic that had been offered every Monday since June 2019, and it is in the process of restarting the trap/neuter/release (TNR) program. Loughlin noted that the TNR program had just begun when the shutdown was announced, and only two procedures had been performed.
"We have a working barn cat program," Loughlin shared. "We work with a lot of farms in the area (that take feral cats that may need to be relocated)."
The late Judy McKonly donated funds to build the Columbia Animal Shelter, but donations, grants, and fundraisers will keep it operating successfully. The Cruisin' for Cats car show was introduced last year as a signature fundraising event. It drew 50-some cars, which Loughlin described as "not a bad first start." She is expecting a much larger turnout for the second annual Cruisin' for Cats car show, which will be held at the shelter on Saturday, Aug. 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. has been set as the rain date.
The shelter facility has a large area for parking and a lawn with a stage, so it is ideal for hosting events like car shows and the Shelter in Place summer concert series that has been held on Saturday evenings this summer. Vehicles entered in the car show may arrive as early as 8 a.m. and will be spaced apart to promote social distancing. There is a cost to enter the show, with a discount for those who preregister at the shelter or by finding "Cruisin' for Cats Car Show" at http://www.eventbrite.com. Spectators will be admitted free of charge. Pets on leashes will be welcome to accompany their owners.
Prizes will be awarded to exhibitors in a variety of categories, and there will be opportunities for attendees to win cash. Food trucks will sell refreshments. Prequalified households may adopt animals during the event as well. In addition to adult companion animals, the shelter currently has more than 40 kittens available for forever homes.
The proceeds from Cruisin' for Cats will be used to expand the clinic area, Loughlin said. The goal is to add radiology and dental services by purchasing an X-ray unit and motorized dental tools.
For more information about the Columbia Animal Shelter, readers may visit http://www.columbiaanimalshelter.com or call 717-681-6858.
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