Rachel Comte - TNR and Fostering
Have you ever considered doing TNR (Trap Neuter Return) or maybe fostering some cats while they wait for their furr-ever homes? There are many well-known people in the world of TNR and fostering, like Sterling Davis the Trap King and Kitten Lady Hannah Shaw. They commit their days to these tasks, and we are thankful for them.
But what if you want to help, but you can't commit to helping full time? Or you don’t have resources? Rita and Linda are joined by Rachel Comte, who decided to help when and where she can. She's here with Rita and Linda to discuss how she is helping by doing some part time TNR and fostering and making a big impact in her neighborhood.
Listen to Episode #138 Now:
BIO:
Transcript:
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Announcer: This is Pet Life Radio.
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Announcer: Let's talk pets.
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Linda Hall: Hello, my cat loving friends.
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Linda Hall: We have had kitten fostering experts, like the kitten lady, Hannah Shaw.
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Linda Hall: We have had TNR experts, like Sterling the Trap King Davis.
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Linda Hall: What about your average human who has another job and cannot devote their life to this?
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Linda Hall: It just so happens.
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Linda Hall: We had a client the other day who's very active with TNR and fostering, and we asked her to come talk to us about her take and how she manages it with everything else in her life.
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Linda Hall: So we're going to take a short break for this commercial, and we will be back with Rachel Comte.
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Linda Hall: Hey, it's Linda Hall from 19 Cats and Counting.
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Rita Reimers: And I'm Rita Reimers from 19 Cats and Counting.
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Rita Reimers: You know the expression that cats have nine lives?
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Rita Reimers: Well, what if you can give them one more?
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Rita Reimers: The Give Them 10 movement is on a mission to help give cats an extra life.
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Rita Reimers: How?
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Linda Hall: With spay and neuter.
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Linda Hall: Spaying or neutering your cat helps them live a longer, healthier life.
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Linda Hall: And it helps control the free roaming cat populations too.
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Linda Hall: You can learn more about the benefits of spay and neuter and meet Scooter, the neutered cat, at givethemten.org.
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Rita Reimers: That's givethem, T-E-N, dot org.
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Announcer: Let's talk pets on petliferadio.com.
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Linda Hall: Welcome back to 19 Cats and Counting.
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Linda Hall: I am your cohost, Linda Hall, here with the bestest BFF on the planet, my friend, Rita Reimers.
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Linda Hall: How you doing, babe?
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Rita Reimers: I'm good.
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Rita Reimers: We have the tail end of a Debbie hitting us now, just a little bit of rain.
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Rita Reimers: We're very lucky, but everybody who's in the path, there's already been, I think, five lives lost.
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Linda Hall: Yeah.
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Rita Reimers: Say a little prayer, everybody stay safe.
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Rita Reimers: I worry about the kitties outside.
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Rita Reimers: Luckily people like Rachel are looking out for those cats.
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Linda Hall: Exactly.
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Linda Hall: So let's bring her in here.
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Rita Reimers: Hi, Rachel.
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Linda Hall: Thank you so much for joining us.
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Rachel Comte: Thanks for having me.
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Linda Hall: You didn't know when you signed up for a cat behavior session that you were going to end up being a podcast guest.
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Rita Reimers: I didn't.
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Rachel Comte: I was panicked when I reached out and look how it works out.
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Linda Hall: Look how it works out.
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Rachel Comte: We were like, we love her.
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Rita Reimers: We really enjoyed talking with you and we admire your dedication to TNR and fostering.
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Rita Reimers: Those are two things that we can't really do because we already have 31 cats in our sanctuary.
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Rita Reimers: But it's so necessary.
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Rita Reimers: If you love cats or you hate cats, TNR should be something that you applaud.
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Rita Reimers: Am I right?
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Linda Hall: 100%.
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Linda Hall: I'd like to focus on the TNR for our first half and then look at the fostering, because there's a lot there.
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Linda Hall: Like I said, we've had Sterling the Trap King Davis on.
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Linda Hall: He's devoted his life to TNR.
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Linda Hall: He's one of the coolest dudes I think we've ever met.
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Rita Reimers: He's lucky he could do that, but not all of us can do that.
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Linda Hall: Yes.
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Linda Hall: How do you work that out?
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Linda Hall: I just worry that everybody else is saying, well, that's great.
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Linda Hall: He gave his life to it, but I got a nine to five, right?
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Rachel Comte: Yeah.
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Rachel Comte: When I moved to this house that I'm at right now, on this street, there were so many strays.
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Rachel Comte: Where I lived before, there was a few here and there, but they were everywhere here.
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Rachel Comte: There were litters of kittens.
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Rachel Comte: I live in a lower to middle class area.
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Rachel Comte: People just don't have time.
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Rachel Comte: I don't think a lot of people know about the resources that are out there.
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Rachel Comte: Because I love animals, I happen to know a little bit about it.
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Rachel Comte: People were complaining about the number of cats and the whole bird, you know, all the things that you hear about of all the strays everywhere and marking and fighting and all the stuff.
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Rachel Comte: So I just decided that there's a organization here called, I'm in the Cincinnati Metro area and they're called Ohio Alley Cat Resource.
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Rachel Comte: They have a TNR program that's funded by a grant and you can get a trap from them, trap the cat, take him in the day you trap them and then pick him up the next day and then let him out again.
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Rachel Comte: So I did about eight or nine on my street and I got the kittens and found them home.
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Rachel Comte: So it took a couple of years and I might do one a week.
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Rachel Comte: I just couldn't get to all, I just, you have to drop them off pretty early in the morning because they get fixed that day and you pick them up the next day and then you got to pick them up the next day really early.
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Rachel Comte: So my dad who is retired, who lives nearby was a Sherpa and some of it.
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Rachel Comte: So he helped out too because yes, I have a full-time job and so I can't do all the running back and forth, yeah.
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Linda Hall: But that's wonderful.
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Linda Hall: I've got a neighbor who's as irritated with the pharaohs as I am.
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Linda Hall: So maybe I could work it out like, I'll get the trap and get them set, Jane.
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Linda Hall: And then you go run them in the morning.
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Linda Hall: I know she's an early bird.
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Rachel Comte: Yeah.
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Linda Hall: Yeah.
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Linda Hall: Easy peasy.
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Rita Reimers: So that's great.
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Rita Reimers: You're drafting your family into helping.
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Rachel Comte: And my dad is absolutely willing to help.
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Rachel Comte: He doesn't want to do the organization and the work, but he said, give me a task, I'll do it.
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Rachel Comte: I'll help out.
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Rachel Comte: I'll squirt out.
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Rachel Comte: Yeah.
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Linda Hall: And that was one of my other questions that you already answered because, you know, again, Sterling, the Trap King, he has traps.
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Linda Hall: He's invested in all of these traps and yada yada.
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Linda Hall: And again, this is not an expense I can take on while caring for 12 of our six squirt cats.
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Linda Hall: So, you know, but so there are organizations that will loan you the traps.
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Linda Hall: So all you have to do is get it, set it up, take them, drop them off, pick them back up, let them go.
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Rachel Comte: And the traps for OARs, the acronym for that organization, you pay $75, but it's refunded when you bring the trap back.
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Rachel Comte: Oh, it's like a deposit.
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Rachel Comte: You have to front a little bit of money and then you get it back.
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Linda Hall: That's a wonderful idea.
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Rita Reimers: If you're doing regular trapping, do they lend it to you like open-ended?
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Rita Reimers: You can bring it back whenever.
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Rachel Comte: Yeah, I ended up checking one out for about three weeks at one point, and then they want you to bring it back.
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Rachel Comte: I think they just don't want to be losing them all over the city.
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Linda Hall: Sure, I understand that.
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Rachel Comte: But I did for a while think about buying my own.
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Rachel Comte: They make sure that you use their type.
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Rachel Comte: So they say if you're going to buy, we need to buy this exact one.
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Rita Reimers: Is it the have a heart trap?
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Rachel Comte: Yeah, and I just never ended up doing it.
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Linda Hall: I have had a recent conundrum.
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Linda Hall: I read an article, and then I did a search and found several of them.
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Linda Hall: Apparently, there are people in the United States and different areas that are trying to make it illegal to TNR, I'm growling, I'm sorry, make it illegal to TNR because they are equating this to kidnapping living beings, doing surgery with other consent, and then sending them back confused.
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Rita Reimers: Well, you know what, did my cats consent to being spayed a dooder?
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Linda Hall: No.
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Linda Hall: There are a lot of people who get upset about that.
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Linda Hall: So, thoughts, Rachel?
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Rachel Comte: I could see, you know, we make our pets into little humans, and so I can see that kind of feeling like, that's against their will, you know, sort of thing.
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Rachel Comte: But the reality is, at least for me in my neighborhood, our population was exploding.
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Rachel Comte: So, the alternative is not doing that and having not 12 strays on the street, but 40 or 50.
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Rachel Comte: Exactly.
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Rachel Comte: And I just can't see how that's better.
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Rita Reimers: And that's what's happened over the years, because, you know, back when I was growing up, none of that was a thing.
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Rita Reimers: Spaying and neutering wasn't as, you know, widespread as it is now.
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Rita Reimers: In fact, it's required in a lot of cities.
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Rita Reimers: That's why we have so many cats outside.
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Rita Reimers: And it does, like you said, it takes a while to even make a dent, right?
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Rita Reimers: But for every one, for every female that you get spayed, you have saved, what is it, over a year, something like two million kittens from being born.
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Rachel Comte: Yeah, a lot.
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Rachel Comte: Yeah, they use a statistic like that at OAR, and it was amazing.
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Rachel Comte: And you see in the morning when you drop them off, you have to go pick up the cat that you dropped off the day before at 7.30, and then you drop the new cat, whatever you have.
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Rachel Comte: If you have another one.
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Rachel Comte: Yeah, at 8.
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Rachel Comte: I didn't do the, like I had a few days in between.
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Rachel Comte: And there were people lined up outside the door in the morning to do it.
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Rachel Comte: So a lot of people are doing it.
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Rachel Comte: And they do the, I know people have problems with the ear.
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Rachel Comte: The ear tip.
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Rachel Comte: But in a feral environment out in an urban area, that's the only way you know it's been done.
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Rachel Comte: That's true.
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Linda Hall: It saves them from getting trapped again, taking it again and finding out.
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Linda Hall: And it's not so difficult to decide on a male, although those cats are crazy when caught.
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Linda Hall: But with a female, good luck figuring that out.
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Rita Reimers: I don't mind the ear tip, but when they take off half the ear, I have to say, you know, you could have been a little more.
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Linda Hall: Yeah, exactly.
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Linda Hall: I just found it.
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Linda Hall: I was looking for this.
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Linda Hall: I had copied this off social media.
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Linda Hall: It's not just his own tail he's chasing.
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Linda Hall: A male cat can father as many as 2,500 kittens in one year.
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Linda Hall: So we tend to focus on what the females are creating but the males too.
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Linda Hall: And here's where I'm looking.
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Linda Hall: If we don't take care of them, they get injured, nobody knows.
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Linda Hall: They're not vaccinated.
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Rita Reimers: There's not enough food out there for them.
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Linda Hall: There's not enough food out there.
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Rita Reimers: I've read about cats, females that are pregnant, eating rocks out there because they're so hungry.
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Linda Hall: Yes.
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Rita Reimers: Why would you want to promote suffering like that?
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Rita Reimers: I don't understand why people would be against trap neuter release.
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Rachel Comte: I think the people who are talking about the it's unkind or cruel or whatever, you're just not seeing the whole picture.
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Rita Reimers: They're not.
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Linda Hall: I kind of agree.
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Linda Hall: So I accidentally trapped a feral.
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Rachel Comte: Oh, I remember that.
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Linda Hall: A couple of years ago.
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Rita Reimers: Little Tasmanian devil.
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Linda Hall: One of my cats escaped and it was a young kitten.
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Linda Hall: I never thought I would admit that I was scared of a kitten before, but that cat was like crazy wild animal scared.
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Linda Hall: I do understand.
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Linda Hall: I hate scaring a cat like that.
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Linda Hall: But what are the chances of a female cat getting pyrometra, which usually by the time it's a cancer for females only, it's very, very common, and by the time you know of it, it's usually too late to do anything about it.
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Linda Hall: You know what the solution for that is?
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Linda Hall: Hysterectomy.
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Linda Hall: You know, we do the TNR on this cat, she's never going to get this cancer.
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Rachel Comte: There's a campaign here.
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Rachel Comte: I'm going to put it in the chat.
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Rachel Comte: Good, thank you.
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Rachel Comte: givethem10.org If you go to that website, it's ScooterTheNeuter.
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Rachel Comte: And so his-
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Rita Reimers: I love that.
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Rita Reimers: I have a little picture of it.
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Rachel Comte: Yeah, and it says, hip spectacles, no testicles.
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Rachel Comte: Yes, I love that.
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Rachel Comte: So the ad is really funny and it was done locally.
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Rachel Comte: I thought it was a national ad, but it's here locally and it's about spaying and neutering.
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Rachel Comte: And it's not just for one organization, I don't think, but really good.
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Rachel Comte: You should watch the ad.
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Linda Hall: I love that.
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Rita Reimers: So here's the other thing though, if people don't TNR, right?
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Rita Reimers: So there's all these cats and kittens out there.
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Rita Reimers: It's also illegal in a lot of places to feed the spiky.
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Rachel Comte: It was one of them.
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Rita Reimers: Yeah, I lived in Los Angeles, and that's another place where in Beverly Hills, it was illegal to do that.
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Rita Reimers: They arrested this 90 year old woman who was feeding the pharaohs.
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Rita Reimers: I mean, it's just ridiculous.
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Rachel Comte: I saw that.
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Rita Reimers: The people who are against TNR, they're promoting suffering out there and starvation and no resources for these cats.
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Rita Reimers: Plus then people are upset the cats, attack the wildlife, eat the birds.
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Rachel Comte: Yeah, and so I have, there's people in my neighborhood that say, you should not be feeding them.
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Rachel Comte: But my thought is, well, I've fixed them all and so I'm making sure they're not reproducing.
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Rachel Comte: If they're animals, I want to take care of them.
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Rachel Comte: But feeding them without fixing them, I think is irresponsible.
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Rachel Comte: That's my opinion.
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Linda Hall: No, I agree.
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Linda Hall: We had an example of that in an apartment my daughter lived in for a while.
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Linda Hall: It was like a house made into two apartments and the other lady was feeding the pharaohs.
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Linda Hall: God bless her.
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Linda Hall: She didn't want to see him go hungry.
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Linda Hall: She had hooked up tarps over her kids.
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Linda Hall: Her kids were too old for their swing set anymore.
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Linda Hall: Basically, she made this shelter and she fed them, but she wasn't TNRing them.
00:12:14.724 --> 00:12:18.284
Linda Hall: There was no resource she could find and she was incredibly low income.
00:12:18.624 --> 00:12:22.004
Linda Hall: She was just feeding them and they were everywhere.
00:12:22.004 --> 00:12:24.504
Linda Hall: You got fleas just from walking.
00:12:24.504 --> 00:12:29.384
Linda Hall: She was across the street from a popular park where they have a lot of soccer games, so cars.
00:12:29.384 --> 00:12:31.944
Linda Hall: I'll let you fill in the rest of what happened to some of those cats.
00:12:31.944 --> 00:12:33.704
Linda Hall: It was horrible.
00:12:33.704 --> 00:12:40.484
Linda Hall: So I respected and appreciated on one level what she was doing, but on the other hand, she created another problem.
00:12:40.484 --> 00:12:56.024
Rachel Comte: Yeah, I do feel the low income part of it because not only do you not have resources to go pay the $75 for the trap, even if you get it back, but you might be working shift work or you might be...
00:12:56.024 --> 00:12:57.704
Rachel Comte: I mean, it takes time.
00:12:58.164 --> 00:13:03.704
Rachel Comte: So I think it's also easy for me to say, it's irresponsible to do that when I have resources.
00:13:03.704 --> 00:13:06.704
Rachel Comte: So I'm aware of that too, is what I would say.
00:13:06.844 --> 00:13:13.604
Linda Hall: I'll say it's irresponsible if there are resources, and a lot of places have resources and I don't think people take enough time to look into them.
00:13:13.604 --> 00:13:15.524
Rita Reimers: Yeah, they don't know about.
00:13:15.524 --> 00:13:17.364
Rita Reimers: You have to do some internet research.
00:13:17.364 --> 00:13:18.604
Rita Reimers: What actually got you started?
00:13:18.604 --> 00:13:21.544
Rita Reimers: Was it just seeing all the pharaohs in your neighborhood, Rachel?
00:13:21.544 --> 00:13:23.824
Rachel Comte: Yeah, and I've been a cat person.
00:13:23.824 --> 00:13:26.564
Rachel Comte: I collected them when I was little, like I've just always been a cat person.
00:13:26.724 --> 00:13:30.544
Rachel Comte: And I was just stunned how many strays there were here.
00:13:30.544 --> 00:13:37.244
Rachel Comte: That was the thing that the fostering is a different story, but the TNR stuff is just, I moved into an area and that was a need.
00:13:37.244 --> 00:13:41.304
Rachel Comte: And so people on my street, they know it.
00:13:41.304 --> 00:13:43.224
Rachel Comte: They just very few resources.
00:13:43.224 --> 00:13:45.844
Rachel Comte: So I was like, all right, I'm gonna do this.
00:13:45.844 --> 00:13:47.624
Rachel Comte: And some of them are feeding them.
00:13:47.624 --> 00:13:51.204
Rachel Comte: And so we worked it out on our street between our neighbors.
00:13:51.204 --> 00:13:54.424
Linda Hall: And this is why we love you, and are so appreciative of you for doing this.
00:13:54.424 --> 00:13:57.424
Linda Hall: It's very easy to just say, eh, you know, can't do it.
00:13:57.424 --> 00:13:58.504
Linda Hall: Don't have the resources.
00:13:58.504 --> 00:13:59.524
Linda Hall: I'm out.
00:13:59.524 --> 00:14:02.384
Rachel Comte: Well, there were some weeks where I was like, I'm not doing this this week.
00:14:02.384 --> 00:14:03.284
Rachel Comte: I don't think that's okay.
00:14:03.284 --> 00:14:04.604
Linda Hall: And that's okay.
00:14:04.604 --> 00:14:05.904
Rachel Comte: Yeah, that's right.
00:14:05.904 --> 00:14:06.684
Linda Hall: And that's the thing.
00:14:06.684 --> 00:14:11.804
Rachel Comte: Like it took me multiple years to get the masses.
00:14:11.864 --> 00:14:13.264
Rachel Comte: You're not gonna do it right.
00:14:13.264 --> 00:14:15.344
Rachel Comte: It was not a fast process.
00:14:15.344 --> 00:14:22.144
Rachel Comte: But the other thing was I told my neighbors, anytime they saw a litter of kittens, just tell me, cause I will take them.
00:14:22.144 --> 00:14:23.104
Rachel Comte: I found them homes.
00:14:23.164 --> 00:14:28.104
Rachel Comte: There was, you know, it haven't been too many, but I just like, we have to stop the hemorrhaging.
00:14:28.104 --> 00:14:33.204
Rachel Comte: You know, I'm trying to fix them all, but we can't have more out there, cause I can't, we smell them all.
00:14:33.204 --> 00:14:35.144
Rachel Comte: So also put the word out for that.
00:14:35.144 --> 00:14:36.604
Linda Hall: I love that you said that.
00:14:36.604 --> 00:14:39.284
Linda Hall: I love that you said that about, I wasn't in the mood this week.
00:14:39.284 --> 00:14:41.204
Linda Hall: This isn't something you have to commit your life to.
00:14:41.204 --> 00:14:48.064
Linda Hall: If you do it once and take care of one cat, that if it's male, that's 20,000 kittens in a year.
00:14:48.064 --> 00:14:50.444
Linda Hall: If it's a female, that's 2 million over eight years.
00:14:50.444 --> 00:14:51.484
Linda Hall: That's insanity.
00:14:51.484 --> 00:14:52.024
Linda Hall: That's huge.
00:14:52.104 --> 00:14:53.084
Linda Hall: That's helpful.
00:14:53.084 --> 00:14:53.864
Rachel Comte: It is helpful.
00:14:53.864 --> 00:14:55.364
Rachel Comte: Yeah, even one is helpful.
00:14:55.784 --> 00:15:00.684
Rita Reimers: And the females can get pregnant by more than one male at a time, too.
00:15:00.684 --> 00:15:08.204
Rita Reimers: So tackling the female, I don't know about you, but I always thought tackling the females first was probably a good idea.
00:15:08.204 --> 00:15:15.984
Rachel Comte: I did ask them at the OER place, and they said, let's all meet it kind of thing.
00:15:15.984 --> 00:15:19.604
Rachel Comte: I quit in the spring when all the males come around that aren't normally here.
00:15:20.104 --> 00:15:23.044
Rachel Comte: I was like, oh man, here come the rapists.
00:15:23.044 --> 00:15:26.264
Rita Reimers: And then one of those outdoor cats do to your cats, right?
00:15:26.264 --> 00:15:30.084
Rita Reimers: A lot of people don't know or don't believe they have ferals outside in their community.
00:15:30.084 --> 00:15:31.064
Rita Reimers: Oh, I never see them.
00:15:31.064 --> 00:15:32.264
Rita Reimers: You don't need to see them.
00:15:32.264 --> 00:15:33.704
Rita Reimers: Your cats don't need to see them.
00:15:33.704 --> 00:15:35.484
Rita Reimers: They just need to smell them.
00:15:35.484 --> 00:15:38.724
Linda Hall: Yeah, and that does, and it causes so much upheaval.
00:15:38.724 --> 00:15:46.664
Linda Hall: So on the other end, now let's say we TNR a cat, and it's not a feral because that happens.
00:15:46.984 --> 00:15:55.384
Linda Hall: This is one of the reasons I have one of those, and this is one of the reasons I want to segue into some fostering, but I know we're coming up on a break.
00:15:55.384 --> 00:15:59.284
Linda Hall: So after a word from our sponsor, we'll be right back.
00:15:59.284 --> 00:16:05.624
Rita Reimers: As soon as we hear from our awesome sponsor to talk about fostering the other half of the equation, we'll be right back.
00:16:08.944 --> 00:16:11.384
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00:16:51.984 --> 00:16:53.164
Announcer: Let's talk pets.
00:16:53.164 --> 00:16:54.064
Announcer: Let's talk pets.
00:16:54.064 --> 00:16:55.124
Announcer: On Pet Life Radio.
00:16:55.124 --> 00:16:56.424
Rachel Comte: Pet Life Radio.
00:16:56.424 --> 00:16:58.604
Announcer: petliferadio.com.
00:17:08.529 --> 00:17:14.149
Rita Reimers: And we're back with 19 Cats and Counting with my BFF, Ryder Guy, Linda Hall.
00:17:14.149 --> 00:17:19.709
Rita Reimers: And we love Rachel Comte and everything she is doing for the cats in her neighborhood.
00:17:19.709 --> 00:17:25.729
Rita Reimers: TNR, TNR, TNRs, what it's all about folks to control that cat population.
00:17:25.729 --> 00:17:27.069
Rita Reimers: What about the other half of that?
00:17:27.069 --> 00:17:29.109
Linda Hall: The kittens that are out there, right?
00:17:29.109 --> 00:17:33.149
Rita Reimers: And the ones that are young enough to be brought in and socialized.
00:17:33.209 --> 00:17:33.989
Rita Reimers: Yes.
00:17:33.989 --> 00:17:35.889
Rita Reimers: We need fosters for those, right?
00:17:35.889 --> 00:17:41.989
Linda Hall: Not only do the shelters and the rescues need those fosters, but I'll tell you a story about my kismet.
00:17:41.989 --> 00:17:50.169
Linda Hall: We had a lady that ran a rescue, and she set out to do a big TNR run on some ferals she had seen.
00:17:50.169 --> 00:17:57.089
Linda Hall: Well, she trapped some ferals, but one of those cats, that's an orange boy that we've named kismet because he was meant to be mine.
00:17:57.089 --> 00:18:00.489
Linda Hall: He was purring and rubbing against the cage.
00:18:00.569 --> 00:18:03.609
Linda Hall: And she said, that's not a feral.
00:18:03.609 --> 00:18:08.709
Linda Hall: And when they took him in to get him neutered, they found out he was FID positive.
00:18:08.709 --> 00:18:12.409
Linda Hall: So they really, plus he was beat to snot by the ferals.
00:18:12.409 --> 00:18:15.149
Linda Hall: He really shouldn't go back out.
00:18:15.149 --> 00:18:19.349
Linda Hall: So fortunately, she ran a rescue and had a space for him.
00:18:19.349 --> 00:18:22.489
Linda Hall: But what happens to those cats if they don't, right?
00:18:22.489 --> 00:18:24.189
Linda Hall: If they have fosters available.
00:18:24.189 --> 00:18:27.869
Linda Hall: So talk to us about your fostering experience on that end, Rachel.
00:18:28.289 --> 00:18:31.349
Rachel Comte: Yeah, so there's a organization here called cincinnatianimalcare.org.
00:18:32.929 --> 00:18:37.149
Rachel Comte: And it is a nonprofit that runs the Hamilton County Animal Shelter.
00:18:37.149 --> 00:18:40.729
Rachel Comte: They've been running that shelter just since 2020.
00:18:40.729 --> 00:18:42.649
Rachel Comte: I think it was SPCA before that.
00:18:42.649 --> 00:18:47.729
Rachel Comte: It's the Ohio's, what they say is Ohio's first open shelter with a no-kill philosophy.
00:18:47.729 --> 00:18:51.389
Rachel Comte: And they say they take in around 8,000 animals a year, dogs and cats mostly.
00:18:51.389 --> 00:18:52.669
Rita Reimers: That's a lot.
00:18:52.729 --> 00:18:53.609
Rachel Comte: Yeah, yeah.
00:18:53.609 --> 00:19:02.709
Rachel Comte: And I kind of went through a bumpy patch in my life and was sort of kind of struggling to remember what I did for fun and what I liked.
00:19:02.709 --> 00:19:07.669
Rachel Comte: And was kind of talking with a friend about it and like, okay, where do I find joy?
00:19:07.669 --> 00:19:13.009
Rachel Comte: And I was just like, I don't know, I like kittens, you know, and just sort of like blubbery crying.
00:19:13.009 --> 00:19:15.109
Rachel Comte: And I, so I just was like, I'm going to look into that.
00:19:15.109 --> 00:19:23.489
Rachel Comte: So I volunteered at a couple shelters for a while, but that was something that sort of filled my bucket, but also took from my bucket too, because it was hard work.
00:19:23.489 --> 00:19:25.509
Rita Reimers: About compassion fatigue, it'll get you.
00:19:25.509 --> 00:19:26.449
Rachel Comte: Yes, yeah.
00:19:26.449 --> 00:19:32.249
Rachel Comte: So I found Care, we just call them Care, and they have a foster program.
00:19:32.249 --> 00:19:36.309
Rachel Comte: And so you can foster kittens and they will let you know when they have some.
00:19:36.309 --> 00:19:42.689
Rachel Comte: And I have a kind of a plastic playpen sort of area in my living room, and I put a piece of linoleum under it.
00:19:42.689 --> 00:19:51.029
Rachel Comte: And I get kittens from like, I don't know, June till maybe October-ish, usually three or four litters a year.
00:19:51.029 --> 00:19:53.609
Rachel Comte: And oh my goodness, so much fun.
00:19:53.609 --> 00:19:54.629
Rita Reimers: Oh, that's amazing.
00:19:54.769 --> 00:19:56.369
Rita Reimers: I don't know if I could give them back.
00:19:56.369 --> 00:19:57.109
Rita Reimers: That's my problem.
00:19:57.109 --> 00:19:58.009
Rachel Comte: Yeah, yeah.
00:19:58.009 --> 00:20:03.449
Rachel Comte: So, I mean, I kind of was like, how is something that I love doing so much helpful?
00:20:03.449 --> 00:20:05.649
Rachel Comte: So, you know, usually that stuff isn't helpful.
00:20:05.669 --> 00:20:06.269
Rachel Comte: Yeah.
00:20:06.269 --> 00:20:09.509
Rachel Comte: We're selfish and this is the best thing ever.
00:20:09.509 --> 00:20:18.869
Rachel Comte: So you, for the animal, listen to animal care, you keep them until they're 2.2 pounds, so till they're the point where they can be fixed.
00:20:18.869 --> 00:20:22.269
Rachel Comte: And then you take them back and they get fixed and then they get adopted.
00:20:22.269 --> 00:20:23.629
Rachel Comte: So that's the process.
00:20:23.629 --> 00:20:25.669
Rachel Comte: And sometimes you get them at two or three weeks.
00:20:25.669 --> 00:20:27.869
Rachel Comte: Sometimes you get them at eight weeks.
00:20:27.869 --> 00:20:30.629
Rachel Comte: And sometimes there's a litter of five and sometimes there's just one.
00:20:30.629 --> 00:20:32.209
Rachel Comte: It's all different.
00:20:32.209 --> 00:20:35.369
Rachel Comte: But yeah, taking them back is really hard.
00:20:35.369 --> 00:20:39.749
Rachel Comte: So I came up with a list of, actually my brother helped me.
00:20:39.749 --> 00:20:41.449
Rachel Comte: So here are my rules.
00:20:41.449 --> 00:20:44.029
Rachel Comte: So this isn't like so hard that I can't do it.
00:20:44.029 --> 00:20:49.829
Rachel Comte: So number one, when I take them back, I have to drop them off that day because I can always go back the next day.
00:20:49.829 --> 00:20:51.809
Rachel Comte: So that's the one thing, like drop them off.
00:20:51.809 --> 00:20:54.529
Rachel Comte: They do have to be fixed, but you can go back the next day.
00:20:54.529 --> 00:20:56.009
Rachel Comte: So that's one thing.
00:20:56.009 --> 00:21:00.329
Rachel Comte: Two, you have to know it's going to hurt and you're going to cry and that's okay.
00:21:00.329 --> 00:21:03.569
Rachel Comte: Like life is not about avoiding pain altogether.
00:21:03.569 --> 00:21:05.649
Rachel Comte: So you just have to accept that that's coming.
00:21:06.189 --> 00:21:10.889
Rachel Comte: And also you get another litter pretty quickly.
00:21:10.889 --> 00:21:14.269
Rachel Comte: So then there's just another whole litter that needs to be cared for.
00:21:14.269 --> 00:21:16.389
Rachel Comte: And so that helps.
00:21:16.389 --> 00:21:27.589
Rachel Comte: But also the other thing, which is, I think is kind of goofy, but it works, is I kind of think of myself as a teacher and them as the students so that they're graduating and they're going on to their next.
00:21:28.049 --> 00:21:32.749
Rachel Comte: So it's not like I'm a mother who's, you know, giving up for kids or whatever.
00:21:32.749 --> 00:21:34.349
Rachel Comte: So it's like, yeah, you're graduating.
00:21:34.349 --> 00:21:34.989
Rachel Comte: Good luck, you know.
00:21:35.809 --> 00:21:37.089
Rachel Comte: Just a little line game.
00:21:37.209 --> 00:21:38.209
Rachel Comte: I love that.
00:21:38.209 --> 00:21:43.289
Rita Reimers: I mean, using your philosophy, maybe a lot more people were willing to dip their toe in.
00:21:43.369 --> 00:21:44.269
Rita Reimers: Yeah.
00:21:44.269 --> 00:21:46.409
Rita Reimers: Linda, remember we had Hannah Shaw on our show.
00:21:46.629 --> 00:21:50.049
Rita Reimers: Where we were asking her about how she parts with the cats.
00:21:50.049 --> 00:21:51.049
Rita Reimers: What did she have to say?
00:21:51.049 --> 00:21:51.909
Rita Reimers: Do you remember?
00:21:51.909 --> 00:21:54.789
Linda Hall: She said, well, she said it's they're mine for a time.
00:21:54.789 --> 00:21:57.189
Linda Hall: They're not mine, they're mine for a time.
00:21:57.189 --> 00:22:03.329
Linda Hall: And she said, you know, they're going to go to a forever home and if I don't give them up, I can't take in anymore.
00:22:03.749 --> 00:22:09.249
Linda Hall: So I am stopping where I could impact a zillion kitties versus these two that I end up keeping, right?
00:22:09.249 --> 00:22:17.329
Rita Reimers: I actually started tearing up when you were talking about, this is what gets me because I just thinking about giving up any of the ones that have crossed our threshold, I know I couldn't do it.
00:22:17.329 --> 00:22:19.229
Rita Reimers: So I know that's not for me, right?
00:22:19.409 --> 00:22:21.089
Rita Reimers: I am a sanctuary person.
00:22:21.089 --> 00:22:22.849
Rachel Comte: Yeah, and that's another role.
00:22:22.849 --> 00:22:23.309
Rachel Comte: That's a different-
00:22:23.309 --> 00:22:26.969
Rita Reimers: You're doing so much good by doing what you're doing because it's so needed.
00:22:26.969 --> 00:22:36.849
Rachel Comte: And for me, I think too, when you think about I can't take any more on if I keep these is for me is like, I want to help as many as I can.
00:22:36.849 --> 00:22:37.489
Rachel Comte: And that is-
00:22:37.489 --> 00:22:40.389
Rachel Comte: And I know you guys are doing that, but in a different way.
00:22:40.389 --> 00:22:48.309
Rachel Comte: Yeah, I just think, okay, if someone said you could help all these kittens, but you're going to have like three days a year where you're just crying all day.
00:22:48.309 --> 00:22:51.189
Rachel Comte: Okay, I can pay that price.
00:22:51.189 --> 00:22:54.049
Linda Hall: That's the price of love for anyone.
00:22:54.049 --> 00:22:57.489
Rachel Comte: Yeah, so that's sort of the way I just know that day.
00:22:57.489 --> 00:22:59.449
Rachel Comte: It's just like, okay, this hurts, but that's okay.
00:23:00.069 --> 00:23:06.289
Rita Reimers: Do you keep the fosters apart from your own cats, or how do your cats react to this situation?
00:23:06.289 --> 00:23:10.489
Rachel Comte: So as you know, I just had after four years, had my first foster fail.
00:23:10.489 --> 00:23:18.669
Rachel Comte: So I had a new kitten, but up until that point, I have one cat and because they're in a playpen, they're not out running around.
00:23:18.669 --> 00:23:21.609
Rachel Comte: So she doesn't like it, but she sort of just stays away.
00:23:21.609 --> 00:23:26.769
Rachel Comte: So you can see I have an open house, really have a guest room or like closed in space.
00:23:26.809 --> 00:23:28.689
Rachel Comte: So there isn't anywhere to...
00:23:28.689 --> 00:23:32.929
Rachel Comte: Some people put them in a guest room and they have a whole room, but I can't do that.
00:23:32.929 --> 00:23:37.329
Rachel Comte: So when they get to 10 or 11 weeks, then they can jump out of the playpen.
00:23:37.329 --> 00:23:43.249
Rachel Comte: So that age is actually good to take them back because my cat gets a little more stressed.
00:23:43.249 --> 00:23:52.209
Rachel Comte: My cat in my room at night, I just try to keep them as separate as possible, but I think my cat knows, or at least she thought she knew that it was temporary.
00:23:52.269 --> 00:23:53.249
Linda Hall: Yes, exactly.
00:23:53.289 --> 00:23:55.389
Rita Reimers: Just like, why is this one staying?
00:23:55.389 --> 00:23:57.049
Rachel Comte: Yeah, you forgot one, Lainey.
00:23:57.049 --> 00:23:59.629
Rachel Comte: There's one left here.
00:23:59.629 --> 00:24:03.349
Linda Hall: You happened to find the cat that was meant to you in your foster endeavors.
00:24:03.349 --> 00:24:04.669
Linda Hall: I believe that's it.
00:24:04.669 --> 00:24:06.709
Linda Hall: I also think it's a great idea.
00:24:06.709 --> 00:24:11.049
Linda Hall: There are a lot of people that are like, I just don't know if I can take on the care of a cat.
00:24:11.049 --> 00:24:16.369
Linda Hall: My kid swears they're going to take care of it, but we all know in 10 minutes, the kid's going to lose interest.
00:24:16.369 --> 00:24:21.009
Linda Hall: Fostering a cat is a very good way to find out if this is a fit for your home or not.
00:24:21.589 --> 00:24:25.149
Linda Hall: And if things go wrong, you can take them back.
00:24:25.149 --> 00:24:29.189
Linda Hall: Also, kittens have, they're easygoing like babies, right?
00:24:29.189 --> 00:24:30.989
Linda Hall: Like you can pass them around, they're not as impacted.
00:24:30.989 --> 00:24:33.449
Rita Reimers: Except that Tasmanian devil you trapped.
00:24:33.449 --> 00:24:35.969
Linda Hall: Yeah, that was a little crazy and scary.
00:24:35.969 --> 00:24:37.849
Linda Hall: That was very scary.
00:24:39.749 --> 00:24:44.129
Linda Hall: But yes, I think they're easier to adapt to someplace else.
00:24:44.129 --> 00:24:49.789
Linda Hall: And fostering gives another benefit that we haven't mentioned, and that is that making them people friendly.
00:24:49.969 --> 00:24:52.309
Linda Hall: Some people get these cats from the shelter.
00:24:52.309 --> 00:24:55.469
Linda Hall: They don't know their personality because they behave differently in a shelter.
00:24:55.469 --> 00:24:56.989
Rita Reimers: Or they've not been handled.
00:24:56.989 --> 00:24:58.469
Linda Hall: Yes, yes.
00:24:58.469 --> 00:25:00.069
Linda Hall: And then they're very aloof.
00:25:00.069 --> 00:25:01.489
Linda Hall: They're very scared of noises.
00:25:01.489 --> 00:25:02.849
Linda Hall: They're not used to this or that.
00:25:02.849 --> 00:25:04.909
Linda Hall: They've never lived with other cats, whatever.
00:25:04.909 --> 00:25:10.009
Linda Hall: Fostering gives us that opportunity to handle them and socialize them.
00:25:10.009 --> 00:25:13.869
Linda Hall: And you know their personality when you're sending them back.
00:25:13.869 --> 00:25:14.869
Linda Hall: This one's kind of skittish.
00:25:14.869 --> 00:25:16.109
Linda Hall: This one's super outgoing.
00:25:16.109 --> 00:25:18.869
Linda Hall: This one's a court jester, whatever, you know.
00:25:19.769 --> 00:25:20.789
Rachel Comte: Exactly.
00:25:20.789 --> 00:25:25.509
Rachel Comte: And that's the one that kept named Jeffrey, as you know.
00:25:26.449 --> 00:25:27.329
Rachel Comte: He was just different.
00:25:27.329 --> 00:25:28.189
Rita Reimers: He's adorable.
00:25:28.189 --> 00:25:31.969
Rachel Comte: Four years of kittens, and he was just different.
00:25:31.969 --> 00:25:35.729
Rachel Comte: And I didn't decide that day I had to take him back, like I couldn't have him.
00:25:35.729 --> 00:25:40.349
Rachel Comte: Like I decided halfway through the foster, like I think I have to keep this one.
00:25:40.349 --> 00:25:42.609
Rita Reimers: I almost gave Gigi up.
00:25:43.449 --> 00:25:47.529
Rita Reimers: My mom used to run the Lancaster Humane Society.
00:25:47.749 --> 00:25:49.769
Rita Reimers: The Humane Society of Lancashire, South Carolina.
00:25:49.769 --> 00:25:53.529
Rita Reimers: And I went to a trailer park to pick up some kittens for her.
00:25:53.529 --> 00:25:57.209
Rita Reimers: And I was taking them over to the shelter so they could be spayed and neutered.
00:25:57.209 --> 00:26:00.429
Rita Reimers: There was a like six or eight month old cat running around.
00:26:00.429 --> 00:26:01.489
Rita Reimers: I'm like, what about this one?
00:26:01.489 --> 00:26:03.849
Rita Reimers: Oh yeah, she needs an owner too.
00:26:03.849 --> 00:26:06.869
Rita Reimers: So I took her and I dropped her off with the rest of them.
00:26:06.869 --> 00:26:09.249
Rita Reimers: And then I went to my mom's house and I cried.
00:26:09.549 --> 00:26:11.489
Rita Reimers: It's like, you better go back and get Gigi.
00:26:11.529 --> 00:26:17.329
Rita Reimers: Because Gigi like kind of bonded in the ride between Rock Hill and Langfaster.
00:26:17.329 --> 00:26:23.449
Rita Reimers: So I tried, I wasn't going to keep her, but she's here.
00:26:23.449 --> 00:26:28.849
Rachel Comte: What I'm doing and what you guys are doing, it's so different and all of it is needed.
00:26:29.029 --> 00:26:29.469
Linda Hall: Yes.
00:26:29.469 --> 00:26:31.549
Rachel Comte: There's just not one way to help.
00:26:31.549 --> 00:26:32.449
Linda Hall: Amen.
00:26:32.809 --> 00:26:34.089
Linda Hall: That's the quote of the night.
00:26:34.089 --> 00:26:40.649
Linda Hall: Yes, because our focus is to keep cats from being surrendered and to make everybody's lives happier, of course.
00:26:40.769 --> 00:26:49.769
Linda Hall: But the main goal is to keep them from being surrendered because 30,000 cats are surrendered to US shelters every year for behavior problems only.
00:26:49.769 --> 00:26:58.629
Linda Hall: So our goal is to lower that number so that the shelters can continue to take in the cats that need the shelter and weren't re-homed for a problem, we fixed it instead.
00:26:58.629 --> 00:27:02.949
Rita Reimers: And also so the shelters can be what they're supposed to be, shelters.
00:27:02.949 --> 00:27:06.829
Rita Reimers: And a lot of areas, they're just to convey about to death, right?
00:27:07.009 --> 00:27:13.189
Rachel Comte: The Sensei Animal Care uses a lot of partners around here to get adoptions.
00:27:13.189 --> 00:27:17.149
Rachel Comte: So some of the kittens go to a cat cafe, some go to some of their partner.
00:27:17.149 --> 00:27:18.649
Rita Reimers: That's what happens here too now.
00:27:18.649 --> 00:27:19.029
Rachel Comte: Yeah.
00:27:19.029 --> 00:27:21.989
Rachel Comte: So it's really cool to see all the raise they get.
00:27:22.089 --> 00:27:23.269
Rachel Comte: All the legs.
00:27:23.269 --> 00:27:29.829
Rachel Comte: I have asked, because when you drop them off, you feel like, kittens get adopted within the week.
00:27:29.829 --> 00:27:33.709
Rita Reimers: That's our second phase to our sanctuary is a cat cafe.
00:27:33.709 --> 00:27:37.229
Rita Reimers: So we can get those adoptable cats out into good homes.
00:27:37.229 --> 00:27:37.709
Rachel Comte: Oh, yeah.
00:27:37.709 --> 00:27:40.509
Rachel Comte: I just did cat cafe yoga the other week.
00:27:40.509 --> 00:27:41.109
Rachel Comte: It was really fun.
00:27:41.109 --> 00:27:42.689
Rita Reimers: That sounds amazing.
00:27:42.689 --> 00:27:49.669
Rita Reimers: We went to LA only because we knew that they wouldn't adopt out to people who didn't live in the area.
00:27:49.669 --> 00:27:50.469
Rita Reimers: So we were safe.
00:27:50.469 --> 00:27:53.529
Rita Reimers: If we fell in love, there was no way we could have found one.
00:27:53.529 --> 00:27:56.289
Linda Hall: And believe me, I already had a couple picked out just from hanging out.
00:27:56.289 --> 00:27:59.249
Linda Hall: They're like, oh, this one and this one, but they wouldn't let me.
00:27:59.309 --> 00:28:01.029
Linda Hall: So, okay, that's it.
00:28:01.029 --> 00:28:07.489
Rita Reimers: I love that you do have them out and not in a separate room because that way they do get more socialization.
00:28:07.949 --> 00:28:09.009
Rita Reimers: They become friendlier.
00:28:09.009 --> 00:28:10.669
Rachel Comte: And I do let them out after a while.
00:28:10.669 --> 00:28:12.129
Rachel Comte: Like they're just too cute.
00:28:12.129 --> 00:28:15.869
Rachel Comte: At first, I just let them out for an hour to play and then more.
00:28:15.869 --> 00:28:18.809
Rachel Comte: And then they're just so cute and they're everywhere.
00:28:18.809 --> 00:28:19.989
Rachel Comte: And that's just fun.
00:28:20.049 --> 00:28:21.329
Linda Hall: It's like getting the socialization.
00:28:21.369 --> 00:28:24.549
Linda Hall: I'll tell you a lot of people like that have a dog and want a cat.
00:28:24.549 --> 00:28:28.609
Linda Hall: It's so helpful when the shelter says this cat has been raised around dogs.
00:28:28.689 --> 00:28:31.429
Linda Hall: This cat did fine with that kind of thing.
00:28:31.429 --> 00:28:33.449
Linda Hall: And that's what you're getting from the foster home that has dogs.
00:28:33.449 --> 00:28:34.729
Linda Hall: This cat lived with other cats.
00:28:34.729 --> 00:28:39.269
Linda Hall: This cat lived with, you know, it really helps to know that background and who they are.
00:28:39.269 --> 00:28:43.709
Rachel Comte: One more thing I wanted to say about Cincinnati Animal Care is they do fosters for dogs.
00:28:43.709 --> 00:28:45.969
Rachel Comte: They have a ton of dogs that need fosters.
00:28:45.969 --> 00:28:47.609
Rachel Comte: For me, that's too hard.
00:28:47.609 --> 00:28:50.809
Rachel Comte: But you could take dogs out for day trips, doggy day trips.
00:28:50.809 --> 00:28:58.029
Rachel Comte: So they have a free dana that says, adopt me and you can take them to your house for the afternoon to go hiking or whatever you want to do.
00:28:58.309 --> 00:29:01.089
Rachel Comte: And so I sometimes do the day trips, which is really-
00:29:01.089 --> 00:29:01.609
Rita Reimers: I love that.
00:29:01.609 --> 00:29:03.069
Rita Reimers: So the dog gets some enrichment.
00:29:03.069 --> 00:29:05.309
Rita Reimers: They get some exercise and companionship.
00:29:05.309 --> 00:29:09.989
Rita Reimers: Linda and Reimers are looking for the dog to feed in with the 12 sanctuary cats.
00:29:09.989 --> 00:29:10.569
Rachel Comte: They had a dog.
00:29:10.569 --> 00:29:12.709
Rachel Comte: That's a perfect way to do it, just to see-
00:29:13.249 --> 00:29:14.449
Linda Hall: That's what I was thinking.
00:29:14.449 --> 00:29:15.689
Linda Hall: Yes, exactly.
00:29:15.689 --> 00:29:20.229
Linda Hall: I have a lot of specifications, so it'd be nice to be able to borrow a dog.
00:29:20.229 --> 00:29:22.369
Rachel Comte: So I just wanted to put that pitch out for them because-
00:29:22.369 --> 00:29:23.229
Linda Hall: That's amazing.
00:29:23.229 --> 00:29:23.889
Linda Hall: Thank you.
00:29:23.889 --> 00:29:24.829
Rachel Comte: Yes.
00:29:24.829 --> 00:29:27.629
Rita Reimers: Well, we're coming to the time where we need to wrap up.
00:29:27.629 --> 00:29:31.469
Rita Reimers: Unfortunately, we would love to have you back on again, Rachel.
00:29:31.469 --> 00:29:36.829
Rita Reimers: I'm hoping that everybody listening, it's encouraging them to think about TNR and foster a little differently.
00:29:36.829 --> 00:29:42.169
Rita Reimers: TNR is a huge benefit to your community, and fostering is also a huge benefit.
00:29:42.169 --> 00:29:49.449
Rita Reimers: If you would like to have a cat or a dog in your home, but you don't want to commit to a lifetime, do some fostering.
00:29:49.449 --> 00:29:54.569
Rita Reimers: Help these pets live in a home environment so that they have a better chance of finding an adopter.
00:29:55.129 --> 00:29:56.029
Linda Hall: Yes.
00:29:56.049 --> 00:29:57.149
Rachel Comte: Linda.
00:29:57.149 --> 00:30:07.309
Linda Hall: Shout out real quick to Cincinnati Animal Care and Ohio Alley Cats for what they are doing because they are enabling Rachel to do the work she's doing, right?
00:30:07.309 --> 00:30:08.389
Rachel Comte: Yeah, absolutely.
00:30:08.389 --> 00:30:11.409
Rita Reimers: Do you have any last words of wisdom for us, Rachel, before we wrap up?
00:30:11.409 --> 00:30:12.349
Rachel Comte: I don't think so.
00:30:12.349 --> 00:30:19.509
Rachel Comte: I just think there, if you want to help animals, there is some level of help out there that you can find that's not going to tax you too much.
00:30:19.509 --> 00:30:21.889
Rachel Comte: You just have to do a little bit of looking around.
00:30:21.909 --> 00:30:22.829
Linda Hall: Amen.
00:30:22.829 --> 00:30:23.409
Rita Reimers: We love that.
00:30:23.529 --> 00:30:29.289
Rita Reimers: I hope this gets people more involved and realize that they can contribute so much.
00:30:29.289 --> 00:30:31.209
Rita Reimers: They don't even realize that they can.
00:30:31.209 --> 00:30:36.089
Rita Reimers: Linda, my ride or die, thank you so much for being my partner, my partner in crime.
00:30:36.089 --> 00:30:38.369
Linda Hall: We told you not to tell about that.
00:30:38.369 --> 00:30:43.589
Rita Reimers: And of course, Mark Winter for giving us this awesome opportunity on Pet Life Radio.
00:30:43.589 --> 00:30:45.829
Rita Reimers: We give you our thanks.
00:30:45.829 --> 00:30:50.089
Rita Reimers: Everybody listening, don't forget, every day is Caturday.
00:30:50.729 --> 00:30:52.549
Rita Reimers: We'll see you next time.
00:30:52.549 --> 00:30:58.569
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