Frequently Asked
Questions
It is a Limited door shelter for cats dedicated to the rescue, care & placement of homeless cats.
How did the Shelter begin?
Pat Brody's love of cats and her concern for the number of strays prompted her to start a shelter in 1984. When Pat passed away in 1991, volunteers vowed to continue her work.
Is it a non-profit Shelter?
Yes. We are a state and federally sanctioned not-for-profit organization. All work is done solely by volunteers.
How many cats does the Shelter house?
We house an average of 75 cats & kittens at one time. We adopt out on the average of 600 cats per year.
How do you get these cats?
Through rescues, contact with vets and people who find strays or who are unable to care for their cat any longer. We also take in cats who have been scheduled for euthanasia from other agencies.
Do you charge to adopt a cat?
Yes. The fee is $85 for mixed breeds and $100.00-$150.00 and up for exotics and $100.00 for kittens. The cost of providing each cat with a complete physical, all shots, testing for feline leukemia and FIV, and spaying or neutering is approximately $200 - $250 if the veterinary work was done individually. Although the shelter does receive special rates from veterinarians, the $85.00/$100.00+ fee covers only one-half to one-third of our costs. Without the fee, we could not keep the shelter functioning. We depend on donations and fundraisers to raise funds for the rest of the costs. Also, many cats need special medications and surgery prior to being adopted. The shelter also absorbs these costs.
Do you have any other programs?
Yes. Our Foster Program
places special needs cats in homes for a short period of the
time. Kittens without mothers or cats recovering from surgery are a few examples.
Our Spay-Neuter Program subsidizes low-income guardians so their cat can be spayed or neutered at reduced rates.
Our volunteers also bring some of the cats to nursing homes
for visits and are available for educational lectures at schools.
Is this an all volunteer organization?
Yes. No one is paid. Volunteers generously donate their time and talents to the
shelter. Volunteers are needed for all aspects of running the shelter. Cleaning (the
shelter is thoroughly cleaned daily), dispensing medications, feeding, trips to the vet,
purchasing food & supplies, foster care, visits to nursing homes & schools, making
crafts to be sold at cat shows, soliciting donations, maintaining this web
site .... the list goes on & on.
Would you like to volunteer?
How do you get the funds to run a shelter? Through
donations, fund-raisers, and adoptions. We make and sell crafts at cat shows, have a yard
sale twice a year and are currently looking into other fund raising ideas. Donations are
collected through the cat coin boxes found in many local businesses and are sent to us by
caring concerned citizens. Donations of food are collected in cat food barrels at local
supermarkets.
What is the long-term goal of the Shelter?
Besides the rescue, care & placement of needy cats, the Shelter's long-term goal
is to spay or neuter 100 cats per year of low-income guardians and to set up Rabies Clinics
so more cats are inoculated each year.
How can I donate time or money to the Pat Brody
Shelter?
Send us an E-mail or call us at
(978)582-6116.
You can also fill in our online Volunteer Form
or Adoption Form and we'll get back to you
once we receive it.
You can now make online donations by using PayPal's secure web site.