Update for our supporters Nov 2022:
Laura suffered a devastating ankle injury that sadly has not been able to be successfully repaired with multiple surgeries. She is STILL fully intending on getting her training after the next surgery to actually fix the injury to allow her to walk again. Thank you so much for the support and the patience!
Help fund humane law enforcement in Tioga County.
As part of our commitment to animal welfare, the Tioga County Cat Project is sponsoring a part-time volunteer Humane Society Police Officer for Tioga County. There is no county- or state-level funding available for such a position or associated expenses. Any funds we raise will be separate from our spay/neuter funds and clearly earmarked.
We hope the community will come together to help make this goal a reality for the sake of our county's animals, like little Ada, pictured at right. Click below to help, and scroll down for more information.
More information
The Tioga County Cat Project is very excited to announce a new venture that we know will help animals throughout Tioga County. On Feb. 26, 2021, our board of directors voted to sponsor our founder Laura Clarson’s pursuit in becoming a volunteer Humane Society Police Officer for Tioga County.
What does this mean?
To become an HSPO in Pennsylvania, a person must be sponsored or hired by a nonprofit, attend training through the state and then be approved and sworn-in by the county’s district attorney. While the backing nonprofit is typically a Humane Society or Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), it can be any nonprofit related to ensuring the welfare of animals.
Why are we doing this? Who will fund it?
Several years ago, the PSPCA pulled funding, including for a humane officer, from Tioga County. Since then, our county’s animals have needed help. One person tried to do the job as a volunteer but became overwhelmed with the demands and total lack of funding and had to take a step back. While there is still no funding for humane law here, Laura is choosing to take this on as a part-time volunteer. But everything – training, supplies, animal needs – is expensive and still has to be paid for. Money will be raised under the Cat Project’s 501c3 status, so donations are tax-exempt. However, humane funds and funds for our spay/neuter efforts will remain separate and clearly earmarked.
Why Laura? What are her qualifications?
Laura has proven she’s 100% dedicated to doing what’s best for creatures of all shapes and sizes. She has years of experience in professional animal rescue and has volunteered with the county’s humane officer and started the Tioga County Cat Project. Through this work, she has as helped rehabilitate hundreds of animals who were victims of abuse or neglect, or that just needed help their families weren’t able to provide. One such animal was Ada, a badly injured German Shepard puppy who Laura got the emergency vet help she needed before it was too late.
Our board knows how desperately humane law is needed in our county to give a voice for animals who have none. We hope the community will come together to help make this goal a reality for the sake of our county's animals, like little Ada, pictured at right.