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Relief Volunteers Hope Foster Parents Can Help Colossal Clowder Of Cats

Brian Bull
/
KLCC

Earlier this month we reported on a homestead outside Veneta that was overrun with hundreds of cats. As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, relief volunteers say it could take months to save as many felines as possible.

KaSandra Riley is caring for the cats on-site.  She says her mother-in-law has been in the hospital for weeks, with health issues possibly related to living with such a large number of animals.

Credit Brian Bull / KLCC
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KLCC
A scraggly cat follows KaSandra Riley as she pulls a wagon of cat food and water.

“I believe uhm, it was an infection, from all the smelling of the cat feces, and stuff like that…”

Helping Riley is Shad Carson, who’s delivering food.  He’s also assisting the group, Save the Pets, as they try to solicit outside help. 

“Fosters is what we need the most of," he tells KLCC.

"Homes that are willing to take one or two or more, to foster these, or adopt them.  The healthy ones, especially.”

But to get there, the estimated 300 to 400 cats need to be medically treated, then spayed or neutered. Some animal welfare advocates fear that many may have to be put down, otherwise.

Credit Brian Bull / KLCC
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KLCC
Just some of the 300-400 cats on a property near Veneta.

Copyright 2019, KLCC.

Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.