Kitty Rescue and Adoption in Jaffrey has received a both good and bad news this holiday season: the no-kill cat sanctuary can continue to operate at 11 Plantation Drive for the time being, but it won’t be cheap.
“Our landlord gave us a six month extension at double the rent,” said Kitty Rescue founder Heidi Bourgeois who started the nonprofit more than 14 years ago after discovering feral kittens while on a walk in Keene. “We are still looking for a place and fundraising.”
Last August, Kitty Rescue and Adoption was given until the end of 2016 to move out of its current facility. Bourgeois and the other volunteers at the facility began to embark on a fundraising campaign, raising over $100,000 to date.
The original plan called for a new building for Kitty Rescue, but about $500,000 was needed to construct a new facility. With the money raised, Bourgeois was hoping to purchase an existing building in Peterborough, but things fell apart in the 11th hour.
Kitty Rescue and Adoption is a no-kill cat sanctuary and adoption center for adoptable and feral cats. The center is staffed completely by volunteers and takes donations for food, litter and other needs for the animals.
This year, the center took in 176 cats, adopting out 200. Presently the shelter has 125 cats, more than 80 of which are feral and non-adoptable. Cats at the shelter are separated based on age and friendliness, with the entire upstairs of their current building serving as a sanctuary for feral and less-friendly cats.
Donations can be made by visiting www.kittyrescueandadoption.org or mailed to PO Box 468 in Jaffrey.