Woman donates $9,999 winnings to shelter

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October 13, 2008

'Some of the animals have some very sad stories"

By MICHELLE BESAW The Press Republican Mon Oct 13, 2008, 12:00 AM EDT

PERU -- Carol Solari-Ruscoe always wanted to work with animals.

In fact, she and her husband have rescued 10 cats, one kitten and a dog of their own.

As if that weren't enough, Carol is on the board for the Elmore SPCA.

She started three years ago as a volunteer dog walker, and when she saw an opening on the SPCA Board, she applied. She was voted onto the board in September 2007.

Now she has all the animals she could ask for.

"Some of the animals have some very sad stories," she said.

Like Darryl, the Chihuahua who was hit by a car and now strains his neck and head to one side.

Or Carol's cat Gretchen, who walks on her elbows because her mother was poorly bred.

But with sad stories come happy ones as well, Carol said.

Especially after she was named one of nine grand-prize winners in the Del Monte 9 Lives Million Cat Rescue Pledge.

She entered the contest online, and her dedication to rescuing animals launched her into the winner's circle.

The prize: one free year of 9 Lives brand cat food (which Carol admits is already gone) and $9,999, which Carol donated to the Elmore SPCA.

The award allowed the SPCA to provide vet care, food and shelter to the rescued animals. The shelter was also able to spay and neuter some of the cats.

But Carol says the money went very fast.

"We just have to really tell people that it takes a lot money to run a clean, nice shelter like we have here."

When they broke it down, Carol said, they found it costs $26 per animal per day at the Elmore SPCA.

"We really rely on the generosity of the North Country. Some people are really, really generous and caring about animals."

Without that, animals like Tony the pit bull, Clover the rabbit or Cuddles the hamster may not have the care they need.

They even have a cockatiel named Elmo who shrieks, "Let me out!" and perches on Carol's shoulder.

The shelter is also home to some 60 cats and kittens, a number Carol attributes to owners unable or unwilling to spay or neuter their pets.

"It's not like New York doesn't have a program," she said.

Many can apply for vouchers that will cover the majority of the neutering costs.

And dogs fill the shelter too, with most of them coming in as strays, she said.

"For those of us who really love animals it's hard to understand."

But sending the animals to better homes is always rewarding, she said.

The adoption process is extensive, with the board examining the adopter's lifestyle and personality, discovering whether he or she rents or owns and if they've had pets before. They even contact previous vets to confirm that the owner kept the pets up-to-date on vaccines.

The process is one that seems effective.

"The rate of return is practically zero," Carol said. "You take time, you're going to be rewarded."

mbesaw@pressrepubican.com