Karma Cat + Zen Rescue Society’s initiatives expand from our PAWsitive Community Impact initiative. This critical program touches on key areas that address animal welfare needs in our immediate area, as well as underserved communities in the Greater New Brunswick, NJ area.
Community Outreach
Strong community involvement and outreach efforts establish Karma Cat + Zen Dog Rescue Society as an animal welfare resource and make a real difference in the wellbeing of temporarily homeless animals and their human families in our community.
- Volunteers. Our recruitment efforts are from within the communities served to directly engage with the community and offer opportunities to local residents.
- Education. Planned learning sessions are offered to provide participants of all ages with the tools needed for proper animal care, TNVR efforts, and resources available for companion animals and adoption opportunities.
- Assistance Programs. We offer direct assistance to the community by pulling animals from local shelters to prevent overcrowding, through owner surrender, TNR assistance programs, and by offering tools, resources such as low-cost vet and spay/neuter options, and guidance that ensures the safety and good quality of life for animals in our neighborhood.
Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Adoption
Our animals come to us from the streets, community cat colonies, shelters, and from families whose life situation prevents them from keeping their pet. Many of our intakes come from hoarding situations, have suffered from abuse or neglect, have medical issues, or lack socializing skills that limit their adoptability. Our goal is to bring them full circle to a positive outcome as a healthy animal companion to a caring family.
- Medical Care. KCZD has adopted a holistic approach to animal wellbeing and ensure that each animal receives the full care that they require. This includes, but is not limited to, vaccinations, surgeries, dental care, deworming and flea treatments, preventatives, spay and neuter prior to adoption, etc. We are committed to transparency involving any special cases when working with adopters.
- Socializing Care. Our adoption center and foster program is designed to reflect the most current trends in animal enrichment. With specialized programs such as Jackson Galaxy Project’s Cat Pawsitive clicker training program, to our own Paws in Need program to help under-socialized animals. Our dedicated team of volunteers works tirelessly to improve the socialization and adoptability of the animals in our care.
- Sanctuary Care. In the rare case where an animal is not able to be adopted due to extreme medical or socialization concerns, they are admitted into our Sanctuary Cat program to live out their lives with proper care and comfort befitting their individual needs.
Population Control
Control, not capture, is the solution. The best way to prevent unadoptable cats from being taken to shelters is to stabilize the community cat population.
- TNVR Program. Working with residents, colony managers, and trappers, KCZD’s Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) program addresses community cat overpopulation. Each cat is sterilized, vaccinated, ear-tipped, and microchipped.
- Adoptables Found Outside. Friendly cats and kittens are assessed for adoptability and transferred to our rescue and rehabilitation program as appropriate.
- Snip + Chip Events. We offer resources and guidance to colony caretakers, and offer free TNVR clinics, called “Snip + Chip” events, to local trappers several times per year.