The “Purrfect Companions” cat assistance organization has an online auction continuing through Monday night.
I asked Shirley Ratcliff, founder and director, to explain the fund-raiser. She also gave background for the organization in our first video interview. And, I asked her to “Vanna” some of the auction items, which you can see in the second video.
She says the auction funds their low-cost spay and neuter voucher program for people in Ross and all seven neighboring counties. The vouchers are only $45 for both male and female cats, which is less than half of the regular vet fee. Ratcliff says they will have the next event to sell vouchers in December.
“Purrfect Companions” is closing down their cat shelter. Ratcliff says there are maybe 12 cats left and less than two months, so they need adoptees.
They are re-focusing on their voucher program, and hope to offer them every month, as well as have enough funding to start an “indigent” program in the first quarter of 2025 to give them away. This can help people who have cats dumped at their location but find it hard to afford to do the right thing and get them fixed.
Along with the North Fork Animal Clinic, where cat parents can schedule a voucher appointment, Purrfect Companions sell vouchers for the Rascal Unit, a mobile vet clinic. Appointments are made for Rascal when the vouchers are sold, but Ratcliff says Rascal will probably not be available until March.
1 of 1 …Ratcliff shows items in the ongoing online auction.
Ratcliff says they got so many donations for the auction that they separated out the Christmas items, and will have an additional auction of them is early December.
Donor businesses have been generous, and this is one of Purrfect Companions’ biggest auctions. There are more than 50 gift card packages, including dinners. Ratcliff says many are out-of-area donations, but they help this area. She says she is surprised there are very few cat things in the auction…but they still help the cats.
She says bidding for items start at 60% of their value, and gift cards start at 70%. The auction isn’t searchable, so you need to look through its eight pages. (And watch for an offer of a historical walking tour in the spring auction!)
Purrfect Companions has a website, including the auction section. Follow events and announcement in their Facebook page. Find more in the article on the Scioto Post, including a video interview.
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.
A sample from the online auction for “Purrfect Companions.”