What do you get when you mix perfect weather with kids and dogs dressed up in Halloween costumes, food sizzling on the grill, games, raffles, artisan booths, and – oh, yes, a purrfect setting? You get It’s All About The Animals’ fifth annual Octopurr Fest fundraiser.
The no-kill feline shelter has been holding this event each October for the last five years and this year was the biggest yet, much to the satisfaction of the delightful and dedicated founder, Pam Robinson.
Robinson and her husband, Oren, have sculpted out a quaint looking village on their 103 Marion Road, Rochester property for the purpose of sheltering cats.
“About eleven years ago, we got a tip that a cat needed to be rescued,” she explained. Horrified by the cat’s living conditions in a run-down house, that cat’s rescue set the Robinsons on a path they could not have imagined at the time.
It’s All About The Animals receives 100 percent of its funding from grants and private donations. But the 24/7, 365 care of the dozens of cats at a time – hundreds that move through the shelter every year – is no small task, and this fundraiser, the shelter’s largest of the year, is crucial to the shelter’s basic operation.
Walking around the grounds where cat cottages dot the immaculate forested pathways, one is struck first by the peaceful calm environment the rescued felines get to enjoy. Then, one can only imagine the amount of work it takes to pull off such a massive undertaking.
But Robinson is energy personified, and on this day, she was clearly enjoying the festive atmosphere. As the DJ pumped out the latest dance music, families, and animal-loving supporters roamed the grounds enjoying games, face painting, and raffles. The smell of food wafted through the pines, and the craft booths held interesting must-have items.
From animal-themed wall art to plush beds and blankets for fur-babies of all sizes to earrings with charming, dangling kitty faces, the breadth of craft items was supurr.
A small dinosaur wandered the festival, delighting young and old alike, while dogs dressed up in creative costumes trotted beside their owners. It might have been an event to raise money for cats, but dog owners were out in number. After all, Robinson is an equal opportunity lover of animals.
Robinson said that local town boards have granted her permission to have up to 50 cats, but would only allow four dogs, making a dog rescue economically unfeasible.
The shelter is run by a seven-member board of directors and, several times Robinson attested, “No one gets paid.” She said that all monies donated to the shelter are used to care for the cats.
“We don’t get any money from the state or the town,” she said, saying that only through donations can they carry on the mission of rescuing cats in need for the purpose for rehabilitating them and then rehoming them.
Medical care is an enormous part of the operating budget, and there is a kitty medical cottage on the property. When cats first arrive, they are isolated and evaluated to determine their medical status and needs as well as their social conditioning.
“We have very dedicated volunteers,” Robinson said of the more than two-dozen year-around team of what she called “Feline Warriors.” Their mission covers a very large geographical area, which adds to the overall depth of commitment the Robinson have for the cats of the region.
“We cover from Boston to Cape Cod,” she proudly stated.
The October event produces a significant sum that will help offset the rising costs of caring for the cats. But the shelter also accepts donations of supplies, such as food and, of course, the essential kitty litter.
As the festival revelers enjoyed the fun and games, the cats watching from their perches inside their screened free-range ‘catios’ looked unimpressed for the most part. But, clearly, their serene attitudes speak to their comfort level in the kitty village as they wait to find their forever families.
To learn more about It’s All About The Animals you can visit www.itsallabouttheanimals.org.
By Marilou Newell