Hobo Hotel started out in 1999 with just a few folks who loved cats and strived to give them a home in a Jetstream travel trailer. From these humble beginnings, the shelter is now located in a dedicated building at 650 E. School Street. Hobo Hotel is different from some other animal shelters in that they do not euthanize animals if the cats are not adopted or if the facility becomes too full. Consequently, this no-kill shelter often must turn cats away if they are at max capacity. “Our priorities are strays and abandoned cats,” says assistant director Debbie Watts. “We don’t take feral cats or pets.” Hobo Hotel has a team of dedicated foster parents who help with the overflow of cats and especially with very young kittens who need a great deal of care. Hobo Hotel also has satellite adoption centers at Petco and PetSmart in Lake Charles, and Petsense in Sulphur. Veterinarian Dr. Joe Stark has been an active supporter of Hobo Hotel from the program’s inception. He does the spaying and neutering, vaccinations, and other routine care to get the cats ready for adoption. “We couldn’t do what we do without him,” says director Diana Andersen. Watts says they process around 20-25 cat adoptions each month. The cost to adopt a cat from Hobo Hotel is $100, which includes a trip next door to Dr. Stark for spaying/ neutering, microchipping, vaccinations, disease testing, deworming and flea treatment.
Hobo Hotel could not serve the community as they do without the help of a passel of volunteers. These cat enthusiasts help with fundraising events, clean and maintain the cat kennels at the pet stores, and volunteer to foster cats. Some cat lovers can’t have a cat at home for various reasons, so they get their feline fix at Hobo Hotel by giving special attention to the cats who live there. “We have volunteers who drop in on their own schedule to give the cats TLC,” says Watts. “Some people stop in for 5-10 minutes on their lunch hour. They pet the cats, brush them, play with them; it helps keep the cats social, active, and stimulated.” Approximately 20 permanent residents live at the center. These are cats who have a low chance of being adopted, either due to disease, old age, or socialization issues. How else can community members help the Hobo Hotel? Andersen encourages the community to attend the organization’s many fundraisers throughout the year. They accept donations of cash, as well as needed supplies such as cleaning products, litter, and cat food. Interested persons can become a member of the organization – there are varying levels of membership, starting at $50 for an individual membership. People can also help by spaying and neutering their pets. “That’s the number one thing people can do to help,” says Andersen. “We’d love to be out of business, but it’s not going to happen.”
Junior enjoys climbing in the kitty gym.
FULL GROOMING MAINTENANCE GROOMING BATH FACE/FEET SANITARY
For more information, call their message service at 337-439-2428, see their website, www.hobohotelforcats.com, or find them on Facebook.
NAIL TRIMMING SPECIAL CARE PROGRAM
Our Mission
At Adore, our focus is not only beauty, but health and comfort. We seek to provide the highest quality care and the most beautiful styles for each individual pet. We specialize in revitalizing skin and coat so that each pet may lead a happier, more comfortable life. Through continued education, certification, and specialized training we have developed an unwavering desire to create a truly safe, relaxing, and healing grooming experience. A healthy pet is a beautiful pet.
337-474-1337 | 2712 Country Club Road | adorepetspa.pet June 2018
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