Annual Report 2024 FINAL - Flipbook - Page 6
The SPCA of Texas’
Cat Transport Program:
Saving Lives Across Texas and Beyond
The SPCA of Texas’ Cat Transport Program is a vital
initiative that moves cats from North Texas, where
there are more homeless cats than available homes,
to areas in the northeast and northwest United States,
where loving homes are waiting. Every other Saturday,
a dedicated team of sta昀昀 and volunteers transports
up to 100 cats to Fort Worth Meacham International
Airport, where they are met by a transport plane in
partnership with the American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
When Mary 昀椀rst heard about the program, she
knew she wanted to get involved. “I was introduced
to Sarah, and she explained the program to me,” Mary
recalls. “I didn’t quite understand the nuts and bolts,
so Sarah invited me to spend time with the transport
team.”
Robyn Stevens, a volunteer with the cat transport
program since its beginning, shares her perspective:
“Adoptions aren’t fast enough, so transport is one
of the best answers to the feline overpopulation
problem in North Texas,” she explains. “I want to
be part of a program that saves cats who otherwise
wouldn’t have a chance.”
“We’re not just moving cats—we’re giving them the
opportunity to thrive in communities where there’s
a demand for adoption,” says Sarah Wateska,
Lifesaving Initiatives Feline Manager.
Mary’s passion for helping animals gives her a unique
perspective on the overpopulation problem in Texas
and inspires others to get involved. She o昀琀en brings
felines she has rescued in East Texas for transport
and o昀昀ers valuable insights to the team.
Each transport day involves up to 16 hours of work,
but for the team, it is more than just a job, it is a
mission. The program celebrates every milestone,
including every 1,000th cat transported. Since its
inception, the program is on track to send its 10,000th
cat to a new home outside of Texas by 2025.
One of the program’s champions is Mary Spencer,
whose dedication to animals has profoundly impacted
the SPCA of Texas. Mary’s support of the organization
is transformative. As a past board member, past board
chair, major donor, member of the Legacy Society,
and lifelong advocate for animals, she pours her heart,
soul, and love into giving back to her community.
Mary leaves a lasting legacy that touches the lives of
countless animals and the people who care for them.
Her commitment has been instrumental in advancing
initiatives like the Cat Transport Program.
The more Mary learned about the program, the more
impressed she became. “I was literally blown away!”
she says. “I loved the fact that they took in moms and
other adult cats, and that the program was working
with rescue partners not just in Dallas, but across
Texas saving cats and kittens who would otherwise
not have a second chance at a good life.”
For Mary, the cat transport program is not just about
moving cats. It is about saving lives, o昀昀ering second
chances, addressing feline overpopulation locally,
and providing hope. For Mary, “It’s not just about
transport; it’s about how to save a life.” Through her
support and advocacy, Mary Spencer continues to
help the SPCA of Texas save thousands of animals
and ensure they have the opportunity to 昀椀nd loving
homes.
Robyn Stevens, Cat Transport Team Volunteer,
loads a cat onto a transport plane.
Opposite page: Kellie Lawson (Cat Transport Team Volunteer)
with Ta昀昀y, Mary Spencer with Finnegan, and Sarah Wateska
with Diamond.
