COMPTROLLER MYCHAJLIW VISITS SHELTER THAT HELPED SAVE “HURRI-CATS” FROM HURRICANE IDA

Ten Lives Club received an urgent plea to save shelter cats in the path of Hurricane Ida. Now the agency needs help adopting the cats and with costs related to their care

(BLASDELL) – If you drove non-stop to hurricane ravaged Louisiana the trip would take more than 18-hours to make the 1,242-mile journey.  The distance nor time deterred dedicated volunteers from the Ten Lives Club cat adoption group to coordinate a rescue of more than 40 cats from the death and destruction of Hurricane Ida. 

Erie County Comptroller Stefan I. Mychajliw Jr. visited their Blasdell based “non-kill,” non-profit cat adoption group as workers and volunteers cleaned up and cared for those rescued kittens.

The Ten Lives Club team triaged the cats with necessary vaccine and booster shots as well as routine ear, eye, & fur exams. Other volunteers cleaned the kitten’s cages and then filled them with fresh food and water.  All this hard work was to get them ready for the kittens to go to foster homes. 

Presently, Ten Lives Club is celebrating their 20^th anniversary. Created in 2001, the stated mission of the Ten Lives Club is to save as many cats as possible from being euthanized.  The cat adoption agency estimates they have saved the lives of or assisted over 37,000 cats through rescue, adoption, spay/neuter services, or feral feeding. 

Marie Edwards, founder and president, led Comptroller Mychajliw on a tour of the facilities that encompass 2.8 acres along Route 5.  Mrs. Edwards and the Comptroller toured several floors as well as the current construction of an additional surgical suite. During the visit, Mrs. Edwards said she is trying to acquire an old nightclub located next door with the hopes of expanding Ten Lives Club’s mission “to promote, further, and enhance all cat life.” 

The organization accomplishes this worthwhile task with a staff of 19 and over 200 volunteers to care for the hundreds of cats and kittens that are brought to them each year. Since they solely rely on the community for support, the Ten Lives Club holds fundraisers throughout the year and are always looking for volunteers who wish to give of their time. 

“Many thanks are due the Ten Lives Club for the noble work they do.  Their dedicated volunteers are loyal, passionate and care deeply for animals. They are great neighbors for Blasdell, Hamburg and all of Erie County. Saving the lives of so many cats places them in loving homes and reduces time in shelters.  I hope local leaders work together to determine a way for them to expand at the property next door,” said Comptroller Mychajlliw.

More information is available on their adoption/shelter website at www.tenlivesclub.com.

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