Staff Report
South Shore Felines is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization making a positive difference in the lives of cats in the SouthShore area. The local organization’s mission is to humanely reduce the population of community cats via education and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). South Shore Felines also runs an active cat food program called “Feed the Tuna Chest” that supports low-income individuals and community cats. It is not a shelter to accept cats from the public.
South Shore Felines has attended and given multiple education sessions regarding cats, including Shelter Crowd Control: Keeping Community Cats Out of Shelters, Community Cat Management Seminar by the University of Florida, Alliance to Save90 with Nathan Winograd, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Animal Care Expo in 2008 and 2011, among many others, and are Emergency Animal Rescue (EARS) and Florida State Animal Response Coalition certified. It started doing TNR in 2005, and has handled over 1,000 cats.
On the Advisory Board of South Shore Felines and Field Operations Director, Rita Bundas is an inaugural board member. She served three years with the U.S. Marine Corps and was assigned to the Judge Advocate General’s Office. In 1983, Rita was employed by the U.S. Postal Service where she had a successful career as postmaster in two cities, was Manager of Administrative Services in the Southeast Area Office in Atlanta, Ga., and was responsible for hiring activities for the Suncoast District Office in Tampa until retirement in 2008. She is a long-time cat advocate and volunteer, Florida State Animal Response Coalition certified and an expert in spay/neuter and TNR.
“Shortly after moving from my home in Lawrenceville, Georgia to Valrico, Florida, I discovered that there was a serious problem in our local area regarding abandoned pet and feral cats. I made some inquires and met a very special lady named Gracie King who gave generously of her time and money to help these poor cats,” Bundas said. “I was inspired by her kindness and love and was soon helping and learning more about the desperate plight of these misunderstood and unwanted cats and kittens. I learned from Gracie that one person can make a difference in the lives of so many of these beautiful and loving creatures. After many years of working with what are now called ‘community cats,’ I know that it takes a community to solve the problem.”
For more information, visit www.SouthShoreFelines.org or call 393-0844.
