OWEN BROWN resident Pat Green is a well-known foster mom. But she doesn't have any children in her home.
Green fosters cats and kittens for the Howard County Cat Club and Tails of Hope, a group that works with the Howard County Animal Control Shelter. Green has had as many as 13 cats living in her home at one time.
Now she has four cats of her own and one foster cat from the cat club.
Two of her cats were fosters that she just couldn't give away. She acquired the other when, during a trip to the animal shelter to rent a trap to catch a stray cat, she saw it and couldn't pass it up.
"Now I can't go to the shelter anymore," Green said. Pat's husband, Harvey, supports her cat habit, despite the fact that he is allergic to them. "I told him I decided to keep him," Pat jokes. "If it weren't for his allergies, I probably would have kept all the [foster] cats."
The Howard County Cat Club is dedicated to keeping cats out of shelters. The organization was started by Harper's Choice resident Missy Zane about three years ago.
"I wanted to do something to mark the 20th anniversary of my pet-sitting service, Pampered Pets," Zane said. "I thought about a party for the clients, but I was afraid the dogs would fight and the cats couldn't come."
Zane decided to start a behavior hot line to help people who are considering giving up their cats find a way to keep them.
"I didn't have a cat rescue in mind, but the first call was a real rescue," Zane said. "Someone had taken a cat to a vet to be euthanized because she was too fat. The vet [suggested] a diet, the people weren't interested. The vet thought the cat might be diabetic. "
A groomer from the vet's office called Zane. In three days, Zane found a home for the cat through an online chat group for people with diabetic pets. A woman in Maine said she would take the cat. Jan Ellis, a cat club member from Long Reach, picked up the cat from the animal hospital, kept it overnight, then took it to the airport.
"This cat was so overweight she couldn't even walk," Ellis said. The cat was flown to Portland, Maine, where its new owner picked it up.
"She's doing great now," Zane said. "She is a diabetic. She is on medication. She has lost weight, she can jump and walk and do cat things."
Zane now gets about 20 calls a week for cat rescue. First she tries to find ways to help people keep their cats. But if that's not possible, she finds a foster site for them until a home can be found. The club also traps, spays or neuters and vaccinates feral cats, then returns them to where they came from.
People give up cats for a number of reasons, Zane said.
"A cat should be a lifetime commitment. The average life span is 16 to 18 years," she said. "They are not disposable. Litter box problems are a common reason people give up cats, but they don't realize there are a number of things they can try."
Zane's love for cats makes it difficult for her to understand why anyone would give up a cat.
"Cats are perfect - graceful and beautiful," she said. "They are fascinating. They are independent and free-spirited. They are very complex, and I like a challenge."
From noon to 3 p.m. almost every Sunday, the cat club runs a cat adoption program (under the umbrella of the Animal Advocates of Howard County) at PETsMART in Snowden Square.
The cat club has about 15 volunteers whose duties range from playing with foster cats in other people's homes to fostering cats themselves. Green says the club always needs people to play with the cats and give them attention.
Information or to volunteer: Missy Zane, 410-730-3679 or http://geocities.com/Howardcountycats/.
'Shop with a Cop'
About 25 kids converged on Toys "R" Us in Columbia Crossing on Saturday to do last-minute Christmas shopping.
But this was a little different than most.
The children were nominated by their schools to pair with a Howard County police officer and choose a toy.
The program, which focuses on children who are less fortunate or in need of mentors, offers them the opportunity to meet and spend time with police officers, said Cpl. Mary Levy, the event's organizer. The money is donated by the Howard County Police Officers Association. The police officers and civilians donate their time to shop with the kids.
"It's great to help out the kids first-hand and help them have a better Christmas," said Paul Bertulis, a sergeant with the Police Explorer Program - a program that introduces young people to law enforcement.
"It shows the kids that the police are there to help instead of punish them. Hopefully, when they grow up, they will remember this and it will change their view of people in uniform," he said.
For the children, it was a lot of fun. Their faces lighted up as they looked at all the toys they could choose from.
"Sometimes kids can get a negative idea about police officers," said Officer Bryce Beuell, who has been involved with the program for two years. "This is a great opportunity for them to hang out with us and realize police officers are not scary. They are someone you can go to when you are in trouble."
This was the fifth annual "Shop with a Cop" program.
Information: 410-313-2620.