A $400,000 Kentucky home with a flat-screen TV, couches and meditation music is a dream come true for the city’s stray cats.
Run by Jan Malley and her husband Chip, Shane’s Sanctuary and Kitty Adoption Center is home to 45 cats rescued from the streets.
This home in Kenton County is one of several shelters set up by a nonprofit called The Humanitarian League, which is also run by Jan, to rescue stray cats from the city’s abrasive attitude toward the felines.
The 3,000-square-foot facility is spread over two acres and only takes in cats rescued from the streets.
Run by Jan Malley and her husband Chip, Shane’s Sanctuary and Kitty Adoption Center is home to 45 cats rescued from the streets
This home in Kenton County is one of several shelters set up by a nonprofit called The Humanitarian League, which is also run by Jan, to rescue stray cats from the city’s abrasive attitude toward the felines.
But the house is not without challenges – both legal and fiscal.
As of now, the Malley family is financing the shelter through their investments and retirement money.
Although the couple did not reveal the annual costs, they claim it costs $10,000 per month to feed and care for the cats.
They also pay some people to help and feed the kittens.
“It’s almost like a business, except all we do is write checks; we don’t cash checks,” Jan said.
As of now, the Malley family is financing the shelter through their investments and retirement money
They also pay some people to help and feed the kittens
The family has approached the provincial council and suggested to officials that they build a cat shelter
The family has approached the provincial council and suggested to officials that they build a cat shelter.
The cat-loving couple also told officials they would pay up to $100,000 to build a facility and invest money annually to keep it running, but were rebuffed.
They believe their proposal was rejected because of their demand for a land donation and a roadway.
“Every time we wanted to develop some kind of aftercare program to help these cats instead of dying on the streets, we were turned down,” Chip Malley said.
To deal with stray cats, Kenton County will now use the “trap, caster, release” method without childcare.
Although the couple did not reveal the annual costs, they claim it costs $10,000 per month to feed and care for the cats.
The cat-loving couple told officials they would pay up to $100,000 to build a facility and invest money annually to keep it running, but were turned down
They believe their proposal was rejected because of their demand for a land donation and a roadway
The 3,000-square-foot facility is spread over two acres and houses only cats rescued from the streets.
The method is supported by the National Feline Research Council and other animal welfare organizations.
Kelsey McCombs, director of Kenton County Animal Services said, “There are many people who don’t understand that cats can be successful and happy outdoors. And that’s just a fundamental philosophical difference. I don’t expect to change everyone’s mind.’
To keep costs under control and to prevent people from randomly dropping off cats, the family has deliberately kept the address of the shelter secret.
The Malleys said they once even found a kitten in their mailbox.
But keeping their homes in incognito mode has also prevented many cats from being adopted by humans.
Most people find out about the shelter through word of mouth or through their knowledge Facebook.
The shelter also has a very strict adoption policy. To adopt or volunteer, people must call Jan personally and make an appointment.