Monday, July 18, 2011
Here is a Way To Get Donations From Friends & Family For Animals
http://wishes.causes.com/wishes/332224
Monday, June 6, 2011
Helping feral (out door) cats in the Miami Beach 33141 area.
Helping feral (out door) cats in the Miami Beach 33141 area.
Creating Fundraising Appeals That Work
Fundraising Help
Increase your influence in the community and effect change at the local level on a greater scale. These financial tools will help you get started.
Build Trap-Neuter-Return Capacity »
Start Your Own Organization »
How to Implement an Organizational Trap-Neuter-Return Program »
Creating Fundraising Appeals That Work
Getting Your Paws on More Money
Resources for obtaining food
Tips for building inexpensive cat shelters
Grassroots Fundraising: How individuals and small groups can raise money to help feral cats – Powerpoint | PDF
Determine a funding plan – step 4 of How to Implement an Organizational Trap-Neuter-Return Program
Financial Resources for Cat Care
Increase your influence in the community and effect change at the local level on a greater scale. These financial tools will help you get started.
Build Trap-Neuter-Return Capacity »
Start Your Own Organization »
How to Implement an Organizational Trap-Neuter-Return Program »
Creating Fundraising Appeals That Work
Getting Your Paws on More Money
Resources for obtaining food
Tips for building inexpensive cat shelters
Grassroots Fundraising: How individuals and small groups can raise money to help feral cats – Powerpoint | PDF
Determine a funding plan – step 4 of How to Implement an Organizational Trap-Neuter-Return Program
Financial Resources for Cat Care
Find or Become a Feral Cat Resource in Your Community
Find or Become a Feral Cat Resource in Your Community
The Feral Friends Network—the backbone of Alley Cat Allies—is a group of both organizations and individuals with hands-on Trap-Neuter-Return and feral cat expertise and veterinary practices and clinics that spay and neuter feral cats who serve as a resource to people in communities worldwide.
Members of the Feral Friends Network are called Feral Friends.
Find Feral Friends in Your Area
Are you in need of help and advice about feral cats in your community?
Have a list of Feral Friends automatically emailed to you via our inquiry form.
Check either the option for contacting us as an individual or on behalf of an organization and check the “Feral Friends” item on page two of the form.
Become a Feral Friend – Join the Feral Friends Network
Would you like to serve as a resource for people helping feral cats in your community?
As a Feral Friend, your information will be shared with people requesting help with feral cats in your local area, and they will contact you themselves. Learn more in the sections below.
Learn More about your Organization Becoming a Feral Friend and Apply »
Learn More about Becoming an Individual Feral Friend and Apply »
Update Your Feral Friend Profile »
Interested in acquiring barn cats for a farm or stable?
Though Alley Cat Allies does not endorse the relocation of feral cats, there are situations when cats' lives are threatened or in danger and there is no choice but to move them.
Learn More about safe relocation of feral cats»
To find local organizations in need of barn homes for feral cats, have a list of Feral Friends automatically emailed to you via our inquiry form.
The Feral Friends Network—the backbone of Alley Cat Allies—is a group of both organizations and individuals with hands-on Trap-Neuter-Return and feral cat expertise and veterinary practices and clinics that spay and neuter feral cats who serve as a resource to people in communities worldwide.
Members of the Feral Friends Network are called Feral Friends.
Find Feral Friends in Your Area
Are you in need of help and advice about feral cats in your community?
Have a list of Feral Friends automatically emailed to you via our inquiry form.
Check either the option for contacting us as an individual or on behalf of an organization and check the “Feral Friends” item on page two of the form.
Become a Feral Friend – Join the Feral Friends Network
Would you like to serve as a resource for people helping feral cats in your community?
As a Feral Friend, your information will be shared with people requesting help with feral cats in your local area, and they will contact you themselves. Learn more in the sections below.
Learn More about your Organization Becoming a Feral Friend and Apply »
Learn More about Becoming an Individual Feral Friend and Apply »
Update Your Feral Friend Profile »
Interested in acquiring barn cats for a farm or stable?
Though Alley Cat Allies does not endorse the relocation of feral cats, there are situations when cats' lives are threatened or in danger and there is no choice but to move them.
Learn More about safe relocation of feral cats»
To find local organizations in need of barn homes for feral cats, have a list of Feral Friends automatically emailed to you via our inquiry form.
When caring for a feral cat colony and performing Trap-Neuter-Return
When caring for a feral cat colony and performing Trap-Neuter-Return, you are likely to encounter cats who are friendly even upon first meeting you. Stray cats act differently than feral cats—they tend to approach you more readily, vocalize more, and may look disheveled, as if they are not used to living on their own. (Learn more about how to tell the difference between a stray and feral cat.) A stray cat once had a home and is socialized to humans, but has become lost or abandoned. Follow these steps to either return her to her home or find her a new one.
Step-by-Step
› How to Find Homes for Stray Cats
Try to Find the Cat's Home
Publicize and Promote the Cat for Adoption
Adopt the Cat into the Best Home Possible
Printer Friendly guide
How and When to Care for and Socialize Feral Kittens
First Steps When You Find Kittens Outdoors
Kitten and Mom Scenarios and How to Trap
How to Care for Neonatal Kittens
Socializing Feral Kittens
Printer Friendly guide
PDF version - Socializing Feral Kittens
Quick Links
How to Determine Whether a Cat is Stray or Feral »
Adoption Application Sample »
Adoption Contract Sample »
Why it's Trap-Neuter-Return and not Trap-Neuter Adopt »
Need more information?
Use our online inquiry form
1) Try to find the cat's home.
Check for a tag or microchip. If a cat has a tag, call any numbers and attempt to track down the guardian. The collar may only have a number for a veterinarian; a call there may help track down her home. A veterinarian or rescue group can also use a scanner to help you determine if the cat is microchipped.
Check local shelters and lost and found ads. Calling local shelters and animal pounds to let them know you are caring for a lost cat can yield results. Shelters and pounds are usually the first place guardians call when looking for their cat, and they keep lists to help match up callers. Make sure to ask if they have found pet or lost pet sections of their website or at the shelter in the form of beinders to search or post an entry. Be sure to check the shelter bulletin boards as well.
Be advised that if you take the cat to an animal shelter, she may be killed. Always ask the shelter about their adoption procedures, typical duration of stay, and “euthanasia” policies. If you do turn over the cat, realize that you may not be able to reclaim her if the guardian is not found.
Check your local paper’s “lost” ads, in print and online. You may also want to check various online resources, including your local Craig's List, as well as national listings on www.petfinder.com/classifieds/classifiedhop.html, www.lostandfound.com, www.anypet.com, or www.pets911.com.
Spread the word. You can place your own “found” ad in the same places listed above—your local newspaper and online. Additionally, create a colorful flyer to post around the place you found the cat. Describe the cat’s coloring, fur length, location where she was found, and a photo if possible. Include your phone number and/or email.
Be wary of dishonest callers. Ask callers to: describe their cat in depth; provide a reference, such as a veterinarian; send in advance or bring along a photo of the cat; and give you their name, address, and phone number. Leave out some information about the cat on your flyer to help you confirm the guardian’s story.
Next Step: Publicize and promote the cat for adoption.
Step-by-Step
› How to Find Homes for Stray Cats
Try to Find the Cat's Home
Publicize and Promote the Cat for Adoption
Adopt the Cat into the Best Home Possible
Printer Friendly guide
How and When to Care for and Socialize Feral Kittens
First Steps When You Find Kittens Outdoors
Kitten and Mom Scenarios and How to Trap
How to Care for Neonatal Kittens
Socializing Feral Kittens
Printer Friendly guide
PDF version - Socializing Feral Kittens
Quick Links
How to Determine Whether a Cat is Stray or Feral »
Adoption Application Sample »
Adoption Contract Sample »
Why it's Trap-Neuter-Return and not Trap-Neuter Adopt »
Need more information?
Use our online inquiry form
1) Try to find the cat's home.
Check for a tag or microchip. If a cat has a tag, call any numbers and attempt to track down the guardian. The collar may only have a number for a veterinarian; a call there may help track down her home. A veterinarian or rescue group can also use a scanner to help you determine if the cat is microchipped.
Check local shelters and lost and found ads. Calling local shelters and animal pounds to let them know you are caring for a lost cat can yield results. Shelters and pounds are usually the first place guardians call when looking for their cat, and they keep lists to help match up callers. Make sure to ask if they have found pet or lost pet sections of their website or at the shelter in the form of beinders to search or post an entry. Be sure to check the shelter bulletin boards as well.
Be advised that if you take the cat to an animal shelter, she may be killed. Always ask the shelter about their adoption procedures, typical duration of stay, and “euthanasia” policies. If you do turn over the cat, realize that you may not be able to reclaim her if the guardian is not found.
Check your local paper’s “lost” ads, in print and online. You may also want to check various online resources, including your local Craig's List, as well as national listings on www.petfinder.com/classifieds/classifiedhop.html, www.lostandfound.com, www.anypet.com, or www.pets911.com.
Spread the word. You can place your own “found” ad in the same places listed above—your local newspaper and online. Additionally, create a colorful flyer to post around the place you found the cat. Describe the cat’s coloring, fur length, location where she was found, and a photo if possible. Include your phone number and/or email.
Be wary of dishonest callers. Ask callers to: describe their cat in depth; provide a reference, such as a veterinarian; send in advance or bring along a photo of the cat; and give you their name, address, and phone number. Leave out some information about the cat on your flyer to help you confirm the guardian’s story.
Next Step: Publicize and promote the cat for adoption.
Publicity Guide
Publicity Guide - How To
How to write a Letter to the Editor
How to write and send a press release
How to Write a Letter to the Editor
As an advocate for feral cat policy reform, it’s up to you to be the voice for your community cats. Every time an article appears in the paper about feral cats, or even cats in general, you have an opportunity to have a letter to the editor printed. You can respond to positive and to negative articles. This is your opportunity to educate the public—on the truth about animal shelter high kill rates, Trap-Neuter-Return, and local programs and Trap-Neuter-Return groups, or simply familiarize people with outdoor cats in general. There are others like you that will discover there is a public movement on behalf of cats.
Tips
Check your local newspaper to find out who should receive the letter. You can also find that information online or by calling the newsroom.
Make the letter short and to the point. Most publications have a word limit for letters to the editor. Ask what it is and stick to it. They will edit (without your input) or just not print a letter that is too long.
Don’t preach or rant. Don’t get personal. Stick to the issue and offer a solution or at least a course of action.
Sign your letter and include your address and phone number. They may call you to verify that you submitted the letter, but will not print your contact information.
Send the letter via e-mail or fax, depending on the newspaper’s preference.
Templates »
When, How, and Why to Send Out a Press Release
A well-written press release can increase your public exposure and ability to fundraise and even help you gain supporters and volunteers. The press release is your vehicle for telling the public, via the media, the basic “who, what, when, where, and why” of your story. You should consider writing a press release when your organization :
Takes action or a stand on an issue
Gives or receives an award
Evaluates lawmakers or other public officials (as in a report card) for good work or bad
Launches or completes a new study, book, videotape, or survey of public opinion
Starts or finishes a fund drive
Appoints a new leader and/or takes a new direction
Holds an event
Calls for the passage or defeat of legislation
Feral cat groups may also have reason for a press release to garner volunteers, to announce a spay and neuter day, to rally the public behind their cause, to respond to misguided policies about feral cat caregivers or licensing laws, or to raise awareness about local shelter practices.
Your press release should raise the readers’ curiosity and entice them to ask more questions about what you are doing and why you are doing it. The release should be a jumping-off point for the reporter to write an article or report on your exciting news.
While it is important to know when to send out a release, it is also important to know when not to send a release. Bombarding reporters with information that is not newsworthy can sometimes lead to “information overload” and may backfire. The key to success is developing relationships with your local media by keeping track of what they cover and what kind of information they will find useful.
Before you write that next release, answer these questions :
What do you hope to accomplish by getting out a press release?
Who outside your organization really cares?
Is it truly newsworthy?
Will the resulting press coverage (if any) help your organization?
Can you accomplish the purpose better in another way?
Essential Elements of an Effective Press Release
Make your headline sing to readers and draw their attention. A headline should be creative and eye-catching—but not sensational. Most reporters receive hundreds of press releases seeking to gain their attention. It’s your job to craft a short, punchy, well-crafted headline that encapsulates the major news angle and entices reporters to write about your issue or event.
Introduction. Start with a strong headline to grab the reader’s attention. The headline along with your opening sentence (the lead) should tell a gripping story. This is essential to keeping reader interest through the detail section of the release that follows.
Get to the point. Read local newspapers to get a good feel for the kind of information that belongs up front. The lead should provide a brief overview of the “who, what, where, when, and why” of your story. And remember—news is what’s new and different.
Include just the facts. Make it interesting and exciting, but avoid embellishments. Narrow down the details you give in your press release to just the essentials. You have control over how you and your organization are viewed in the media and by the public. Maintaining a sound, reasonable voice backed by facts and examples will help you sustain credibility. A well-crafted press release is rarely more than one page in length.
Choose your angle. Choose your approach carefully and try to make it relevant to the audience that will read the story you are trying to get the reporter to write. Further, think about what is hot in the news or events coming up or recently passed—these are called “news hooks.” Editors like to see continuity in their publications, so finding a way to tie into holidays or other opportunities that are already in the news is a great way to get attention.
Another great way to develop the hook is to find a way to tie your event or accomplishment into a larger news story. For example, if you want to publicize a spay and neuter clinic, think about pitching it to the reporter by talking about how you do these clinics monthly, the beneficial impact on the community, and positive feedback you have received from the residents who have been helped. Incorporate anecdotes.
You may need to think about your work in a different way. For instance, you are helping people help cats, or even helping people who would not have received help otherwise. In some cases this may lead you to focus more on the people than the cats.
Check it once and check it again. Be concise and grammatically correct. Adding fluff will only distract from the true meaning of your press release. Don't include clichés and jargon that may not be understood by the general reader. For example, always briefly explain Trap-Neuter-Return upon the first mention. Always ask for permission before attributing a quote to anyone, and make sure it too is factually correct. Be sure to check your release for punctuation and grammatical errors.
Always include a quote. Press releases should be documents of fact. They are not a place to editorialize. For a chance to tell your side of the story and add interest to the press release, include a quote from the designated spokesperson of your organization or partner group.
Eight Tips for Writing an Effective Press Release
Make sure what you are writing about is newsworthy.
Write for the readers of the newspaper, not the reporters and editors. Many times newspapers will print a story almost exclusively from a press release.
Start with a brief description of the news, and then distinguish who announced it, and not the other way around. Make sure to give the reader a reason to keep on reading.
Ask yourself, "Is the message I am sending positive and understandable?"
Make sure the first ten words of your release are effective and get your point across succinctly—these are the most important words you write.
Deal in facts, not hyperbole. Don’t use exclamation points. Avoid excessive use of adjectives and fancy language.
Make it as easy as possible for media representatives to do their jobs. Provide contact information at the top and bottom of the release including: individual to contact, address, phone, fax, e-mail, and website address.
Make sure you wait until you have a story with enough substance—and all the information you need, including contact information and permission for using your quotes—before issuing a release.
How to write a Letter to the Editor
How to write and send a press release
How to Write a Letter to the Editor
As an advocate for feral cat policy reform, it’s up to you to be the voice for your community cats. Every time an article appears in the paper about feral cats, or even cats in general, you have an opportunity to have a letter to the editor printed. You can respond to positive and to negative articles. This is your opportunity to educate the public—on the truth about animal shelter high kill rates, Trap-Neuter-Return, and local programs and Trap-Neuter-Return groups, or simply familiarize people with outdoor cats in general. There are others like you that will discover there is a public movement on behalf of cats.
Tips
Check your local newspaper to find out who should receive the letter. You can also find that information online or by calling the newsroom.
Make the letter short and to the point. Most publications have a word limit for letters to the editor. Ask what it is and stick to it. They will edit (without your input) or just not print a letter that is too long.
Don’t preach or rant. Don’t get personal. Stick to the issue and offer a solution or at least a course of action.
Sign your letter and include your address and phone number. They may call you to verify that you submitted the letter, but will not print your contact information.
Send the letter via e-mail or fax, depending on the newspaper’s preference.
Templates »
When, How, and Why to Send Out a Press Release
A well-written press release can increase your public exposure and ability to fundraise and even help you gain supporters and volunteers. The press release is your vehicle for telling the public, via the media, the basic “who, what, when, where, and why” of your story. You should consider writing a press release when your organization :
Takes action or a stand on an issue
Gives or receives an award
Evaluates lawmakers or other public officials (as in a report card) for good work or bad
Launches or completes a new study, book, videotape, or survey of public opinion
Starts or finishes a fund drive
Appoints a new leader and/or takes a new direction
Holds an event
Calls for the passage or defeat of legislation
Feral cat groups may also have reason for a press release to garner volunteers, to announce a spay and neuter day, to rally the public behind their cause, to respond to misguided policies about feral cat caregivers or licensing laws, or to raise awareness about local shelter practices.
Your press release should raise the readers’ curiosity and entice them to ask more questions about what you are doing and why you are doing it. The release should be a jumping-off point for the reporter to write an article or report on your exciting news.
While it is important to know when to send out a release, it is also important to know when not to send a release. Bombarding reporters with information that is not newsworthy can sometimes lead to “information overload” and may backfire. The key to success is developing relationships with your local media by keeping track of what they cover and what kind of information they will find useful.
Before you write that next release, answer these questions :
What do you hope to accomplish by getting out a press release?
Who outside your organization really cares?
Is it truly newsworthy?
Will the resulting press coverage (if any) help your organization?
Can you accomplish the purpose better in another way?
Essential Elements of an Effective Press Release
Make your headline sing to readers and draw their attention. A headline should be creative and eye-catching—but not sensational. Most reporters receive hundreds of press releases seeking to gain their attention. It’s your job to craft a short, punchy, well-crafted headline that encapsulates the major news angle and entices reporters to write about your issue or event.
Introduction. Start with a strong headline to grab the reader’s attention. The headline along with your opening sentence (the lead) should tell a gripping story. This is essential to keeping reader interest through the detail section of the release that follows.
Get to the point. Read local newspapers to get a good feel for the kind of information that belongs up front. The lead should provide a brief overview of the “who, what, where, when, and why” of your story. And remember—news is what’s new and different.
Include just the facts. Make it interesting and exciting, but avoid embellishments. Narrow down the details you give in your press release to just the essentials. You have control over how you and your organization are viewed in the media and by the public. Maintaining a sound, reasonable voice backed by facts and examples will help you sustain credibility. A well-crafted press release is rarely more than one page in length.
Choose your angle. Choose your approach carefully and try to make it relevant to the audience that will read the story you are trying to get the reporter to write. Further, think about what is hot in the news or events coming up or recently passed—these are called “news hooks.” Editors like to see continuity in their publications, so finding a way to tie into holidays or other opportunities that are already in the news is a great way to get attention.
Another great way to develop the hook is to find a way to tie your event or accomplishment into a larger news story. For example, if you want to publicize a spay and neuter clinic, think about pitching it to the reporter by talking about how you do these clinics monthly, the beneficial impact on the community, and positive feedback you have received from the residents who have been helped. Incorporate anecdotes.
You may need to think about your work in a different way. For instance, you are helping people help cats, or even helping people who would not have received help otherwise. In some cases this may lead you to focus more on the people than the cats.
Check it once and check it again. Be concise and grammatically correct. Adding fluff will only distract from the true meaning of your press release. Don't include clichés and jargon that may not be understood by the general reader. For example, always briefly explain Trap-Neuter-Return upon the first mention. Always ask for permission before attributing a quote to anyone, and make sure it too is factually correct. Be sure to check your release for punctuation and grammatical errors.
Always include a quote. Press releases should be documents of fact. They are not a place to editorialize. For a chance to tell your side of the story and add interest to the press release, include a quote from the designated spokesperson of your organization or partner group.
Eight Tips for Writing an Effective Press Release
Make sure what you are writing about is newsworthy.
Write for the readers of the newspaper, not the reporters and editors. Many times newspapers will print a story almost exclusively from a press release.
Start with a brief description of the news, and then distinguish who announced it, and not the other way around. Make sure to give the reader a reason to keep on reading.
Ask yourself, "Is the message I am sending positive and understandable?"
Make sure the first ten words of your release are effective and get your point across succinctly—these are the most important words you write.
Deal in facts, not hyperbole. Don’t use exclamation points. Avoid excessive use of adjectives and fancy language.
Make it as easy as possible for media representatives to do their jobs. Provide contact information at the top and bottom of the release including: individual to contact, address, phone, fax, e-mail, and website address.
Make sure you wait until you have a story with enough substance—and all the information you need, including contact information and permission for using your quotes—before issuing a release.
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