Check back for the latest news on our shelter updates!
August 2024
We want to share with you the reasons behind our current closure, what we are doing during this time, and what you can expect in the coming months.
Why We Are Closed
Feline Rescue has made the difficult decision to temporarily close through October due to several ongoing challenges. Immediately prior to closing in July 2024, we experienced an increased number of cats with feline upper respiratory infection (URI), which have impacted the health and safety of the cats in our care. Additionally, our shelter faced staffing shortages and operational strain due to the increased needs of our cats, prompting us to take a step back to ensure we can continue proving the high standard of care that every cat deserves.
During this time, we are also reevaluating our intake processes, improving our facility infrastructure, and preparing our team to better meet the needs of the cats and our community in the future.
What We Are Doing During the Pause
While the shelter is temporarily closed, we are actively working to strengthen our organization in several key ways:
- Hiring and Reorganizing: We are recruiting for essential roles, including hiring new staff to improve our capacity and better serve our community. Additionally, we are restructuring certain departments to create a more sustainable, efficient organization.
- Operational Improvements: We are overhauling our intake processes to better manage capacity and ensure a higher level of care for the cats in our program. This will also allow us to handle potential health issues more proactively.
- Facility Upgrades: We are making vital updates to our shelter’s infrastructure to create a healthier and more comfortable environment for the cats and the staff who care for them.
- Strategic Planning: We are conducting an in-depth review of our goals and priorities for the coming years. This includes refining our fundraising strategies and preparing for growth that aligns with our mission.
What to Expect
We anticipate that this closure will allow us to reset and make critical improvements to our operations. While we are closed, we will continue to provide updates on our progress and share information about ways you can continue to support the rescue.
- Adoption and Intake Pause: We will not be taking in new cats until we are fully operational again.
- Volunteer and Foster Programs: Our volunteer programs will also be temporarily paused during this time.
- Financial Support: We are still accepting donations to help us during this transition. Your support is essential to ensuring we reopen stronger and more resilient than before.
We deeply appreciate your understanding and patience as we navigate these challenges. Please stay connected with us on social media and through our email newsletter for the latest updates. Together, we can ensure a brighter future for the cats we serve.
September 2024
From Executive Director Kate King
In October, Feline Rescue’s Board and Leadership Team will come together to work on our new Strategic Plan, and we’re incredibly excited about what lies ahead!
It’s no secret that our organization has experienced a lot of change in the past few months. During this time, we’ve done extraordinary things, and these accomplishments are reflected in our finances from the first half of this year. I’d like to take a moment to share a bit more with you.
I know that the intake pauses we’ve had in 2024 have raised concerns, and I want to acknowledge the effect these have had on our Program Revenue (that first yellow highlight above). We’ve seen about a 50% drop compared to last year. However, program revenue has never been the main driver behind our ability to care for cats. On average, each cat we take in costs around $1,600, while the adoption fee we receive is $180. The most crucial factor in keeping our doors open and our mission strong is YOU—our donors and community supporters.
Now, let’s talk about Direct Public Support—our fundraising efforts. The growth we’ve seen from individual donors, like many of you reading this, has been truly inspiring. In my ten years of nonprofit fundraising, I’ve rarely witnessed such committment. Whenever Feline Rescue has needed something, you’ve responded. Despite the challenges this year, we’re succeeding because of the trust and belief you’ve placed in us and our mission. Your generosity has made all the difference, and I can’t thank you enough.
Next up are our mission-related expenses, which you’ll see categorized as Cat Care Expenses in our financial reports. These mostly cover veterinary care, medication, and food. You may notice that certain categories didn’t have figures in 2023. This is because we introduced additional categories in 2024 to give a clearer picture of how we support the cats in our care. Although we’ve taken in fewer cats this year, expenses haven’t scaled down as much as expected. Many of the cats we’ve taken in have required more extensive medical care, which has caused our cat care expenses to rise.
As we finalize our strategic plan, we expect our goals—and our needs—to grow. Feline Rescue is entering a new phase, one that brings new opportunities and some initial costs. It’s a little intimidating, but also incredibly exciting!
We’ve already started two of our biggest projects during the intake pause: hiring and rearranging. This month, we’re thrilled to welcome a new foster support veterinary technician and an administrative assistant to our team. Soon, we’ll also welcome a new surgical technician to assist Dr. Nellie. And by the end of the month, we’ll begin searching for a second veterinarian. We know that finding the right fit may take time, and we’re prepared to wait for the perfect match.
Our other big project—rearranging our buildings—is already in progress. We’ve focused on the 600 building and the “ALCA” space of the 593 building. The changes to the 600 building will improve traffic flow and give our technicians more room to work. In the 593 building, the space freed up from ALCA will be used for programmatic growth. We still have updates and improvements planned for 593 and will share more details as they develop.
Thank you again for being part of this journey with us. If you have any questions or want to learn more, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re excited for this next chapter, and we’re so grateful to have you alongside us!
Have a question or comment? Email us at updates@felinerescue.org.
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Phone: 612-900-2757
Email: info@FelineRescue.org
St. Paul, MN 55104