Friday, July 12, 2013
Monday, April 30, 2012
Penfield colony diary
April 9: Assessed and started TNR on a large residential colony, in Penfield. The caretakers were requesting assistance, and were referred by Penfield Animal Control. They've been feeding cats outdoors for years, but recently the numbers have exploded! They are able and willing to pay for the low-cost spay/neuter, and are assisting with trapping, with fostering kittens, and doing everything they can.
I estimate that there are 40 cats.
April 29: the (3) 5-week old kittens were accepted by a local adoption agency, Four-Legged Friends. We generally leave feral kittens with their moms until they are eating solid food. At 4-5 weeks, they're still easy to catch, easy to socialize, and are at peak cuteness! Legally, they can't be adopted until they're 8 weeks old, and they'll be spayed and neutered prior to adoption. Since it's early in the season, there are lots of people looking for kittens to adopt, so they'll find homes quickly. Good luck, little guys!
Now we can trap and spay their mom, whose name is Panda.
Thanks to Lollypop Farms and to Habitat for Cats for their low-cost spay/neuter services!!
I estimate that there are 40 cats.
April 29: the (3) 5-week old kittens were accepted by a local adoption agency, Four-Legged Friends. We generally leave feral kittens with their moms until they are eating solid food. At 4-5 weeks, they're still easy to catch, easy to socialize, and are at peak cuteness! Legally, they can't be adopted until they're 8 weeks old, and they'll be spayed and neutered prior to adoption. Since it's early in the season, there are lots of people looking for kittens to adopt, so they'll find homes quickly. Good luck, little guys!
Now we can trap and spay their mom, whose name is Panda.
Thanks to Lollypop Farms and to Habitat for Cats for their low-cost spay/neuter services!!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Identifying cat genders in the field - coloration
- We're interested in identifying which cats are female, because.... females have the kittens. Selective trapping and spaying of the female cats can stop reproduction and growth of the colony immediately. Immediately, is good.
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| a classic "patchy" calico - black, orange and white in solid patches of color. |
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| A calico tending toward a tortoiseshell - lots of black, less white. |
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| A tortoiseshell calico - no white. |
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| a muted, or dilute calico: gray, tan and white |
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| Looks like a tabby, but has orange mixed in, so she's a calico. Sometimes called a "torbie". |
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| Tortie - her orange might be faded, or she might be almost entirely black with one small orange spot or a few hairs! still female. |
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| I call this a calico tuxedo, because of her white feet. |
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| this guy looks male - long limbs. He's less than 2 because he doesn't yet have jowls. |
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| this girl is a mom - note her calico kitten. |
Identifying cat genders in the field - cat butts
A cat's gender is written on its bottom - can you read it?  |
| Un-neutered male, younger than 2 years (no jowls). Starting at about 8 months old, you'll also observe that he'll spray to mark his testosterone-y scent. I think he's showing them off. |
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| Neutered male. When neutered young, there's no visible scrotum. This boy has 4 "spots" - top one is his anus, bottom one is his pee pee, looking closely, the middle pair are his former testis (highlighted by his coloration). |
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| Same here. Neutered male - 3 dots. Note the distance of his peepee from his anus. |
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| A tomcat - un-neutered male over 2 years old. Raggedy ears from fighting, the large "grapefruit" sized head, the jowls develop at 2 years + and will disappear after he's neutered. I admit he has bits of orange which might make you think he was a calico, if it weren't for his FACE. |
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| A (goofy) female. No way to tell if she's spayed. Often her vagina will be highlighted by her coloration, and it looks like a slit immediately below her anus (visible here). Male's "stuff" is an inch or more from the anus. |
Friday, September 30, 2011
Kitty Cottage (large)
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| Large Kitty Cottage, fits 3 large, 5 smallish cats that are friendly with each other. |
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| Entry is from below, keeps out wind and snow. 14" is an easy jump for a cat, but keeps out other critters. |
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| unobstructed interior space allows kitties to snuggle together for warmth. Clear end-panels let in natural light. |
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Monday, May 21, 2007
How to file for 501(c)3 non-profit status
You file for non-profit status so that income to your humane organization (donations, adoption fees) do not have to be declared (and taxed!) as income. Donors get a tax exemption when they make donations to your group - so they will donate more generously. In Massachusetts, the Mass Dept of Agriculture currently REQUIRES that you hold non-profit status and register your entity with them, or they will regard you as a commercial PET SHOP, which must be licensed - or stop your humane activities.
In broad outline, the steps are these:
1) Find an accountant who will file your IRS form 1023 for a price you can afford. I know someone in the Boston area who's done several of these, and he charges between $225 and $300, which is probably a discounted rate. You may be able to get this service for free (perhaps you have an accountant on your board), but it will save you in the long run if they have experience doing this and know where the pitfalls are.
2) form a non-profit corporation to do business (and fundraise) in your state
3) file for federal (IRS) recognition of your non-profit status - you'll want an accountant for this.
4) let the state know that you have federal recognition, so that you will be exempt from state sales taxes as well.
Timeline: If you do your part expeditiously, it takes 2-3 months of total waiting time for the government (state and federal) wheels to turn.
Costs: It costs approximately $600: $350 in filing fees, and $250 for a friendly and sympathetic accountant.
Future Maintenance: Once you've got your 501(c)3 status, you'll need to file a short annual tax form (the 990EZ) with the IRS and the state, as well as filing a roster of your officers (called your Annual Report) with the MA Division of Public Charities.
There's an excellent workbook to get you started - by Anthony Mancuso.
Written for non-lawyers, "How to Form a Non-Profit Corporation". He walks you through the decisions (not many), supplies boilerplate Bylaws needed for the federal application. He also discusses when it makes sense to go through this process - and when it doesn't.
In more detail (specific to Massachusetts):
1) you come up with a unique name for your group - and there's an online database for you to ensure that it's a unique name (if there's another humane organization with the same name in the state, your corporate filing will be rejected. If there's a non-animal related business with the same name that wouldn't be confused with your org, you might get away with it. )
2) File your Articles of Organization with the state. This notifies the state of your intention to start a non-profit corporation, the charitable and fund-raising activities that you intend to pursue, and the people who will be responsible. There's an online version of the Articles of Organization to fill out, and a $35 filing fee.
Once you do this, you will be able to get a business checking account in your business name (however you won't be considered non-profit until you get federal approval (step 5). The state (MA) has a website for non-profit corporations, out of the Secretary of State's office. Many of the forms for changing your name, officers, purposes, are located here. Don't sweat these forms and decisions too much (but read Mancuso) - it's not necessary to bare your soul to the bureaucracy, and most choices you're making can be changed later with the appropriate form and filing fee!
2a) Once your state corporate filing is done and accepted (a few weeks), you'll file an online request for a "certified copy". You'll need this stamped official copy to send in with your federal filing. It will come in the mail in a week or so, and there's a small fee.
3) In the meantime, you can get your Employer ID number (EIN). Fill out the online form (you'll need your officer's addresses), and the system will generate a number. That will be your "non-profit number" when you complete this process. Be sure to PRINT THE FORM before the final step - or you won't have a copy.
3a) Go over the boilerplate By-Laws, adding your corporate name, and check that the provisions are adequate (for now). Print out a copy.
3b) open a business checking account. Any donations made to your corporation while your federal application is pending will be tax deductible retroactively, as long as they were made within a year of approval. Once your non-profit status is approved federally, you may want to change to a bank that offers free accounts to non-profits.
4) Bring your
By-Laws,
certified copy of your Articles, and
your EIN
your checkbook (to pay the $300 filing fee) and
a bank statement showing your corporate bank balance (you are disclosing this to the IRS)
to your chosen accountant. He will file the IRS Form 1023 (all 28 pages) for federal recognition of your non-profit status. The filing fee is $300 if you think you'll take in less than $10,000 per year. The accountant will also charge for his/her services (or perhaps you'll get a good deal, or perhaps you'll enlist an accountant for your board!).
Accountants are more experienced dealing with the IRS, and the financial side - I think it's preferable to use an accountant versus a lawyer. Especially one who's done it before.
5) Best case, you'll wait 30-45 days for IRS approval, if your accountant knows what s/he's doing and there aren't any flags raised, otherwise you'll go back and forth with questions/clarifications, but then you'll get approval - called your Determination Letter. This is what you show people who want you to verify your non-profit status.
6) Register your now-federally-recognized corporation with the MA Dept of Revenue, for exemption from state sales tax.
7) Register your organization with Mass Dept of Agriculture if you intend to adopt animals to the public.
You're done!
You file for non-profit status so that income to your humane organization (donations, adoption fees) do not have to be declared (and taxed!) as income. Donors get a tax exemption when they make donations to your group - so they will donate more generously. In Massachusetts, the Mass Dept of Agriculture currently REQUIRES that you hold non-profit status and register your entity with them, or they will regard you as a commercial PET SHOP, which must be licensed - or stop your humane activities.
In broad outline, the steps are these:
1) Find an accountant who will file your IRS form 1023 for a price you can afford. I know someone in the Boston area who's done several of these, and he charges between $225 and $300, which is probably a discounted rate. You may be able to get this service for free (perhaps you have an accountant on your board), but it will save you in the long run if they have experience doing this and know where the pitfalls are.
2) form a non-profit corporation to do business (and fundraise) in your state
3) file for federal (IRS) recognition of your non-profit status - you'll want an accountant for this.
4) let the state know that you have federal recognition, so that you will be exempt from state sales taxes as well.
Timeline: If you do your part expeditiously, it takes 2-3 months of total waiting time for the government (state and federal) wheels to turn.
Costs: It costs approximately $600: $350 in filing fees, and $250 for a friendly and sympathetic accountant.
Future Maintenance: Once you've got your 501(c)3 status, you'll need to file a short annual tax form (the 990EZ) with the IRS and the state, as well as filing a roster of your officers (called your Annual Report) with the MA Division of Public Charities.
There's an excellent workbook to get you started - by Anthony Mancuso.
Written for non-lawyers, "How to Form a Non-Profit Corporation". He walks you through the decisions (not many), supplies boilerplate Bylaws needed for the federal application. He also discusses when it makes sense to go through this process - and when it doesn't.
In more detail (specific to Massachusetts):
1) you come up with a unique name for your group - and there's an online database for you to ensure that it's a unique name (if there's another humane organization with the same name in the state, your corporate filing will be rejected. If there's a non-animal related business with the same name that wouldn't be confused with your org, you might get away with it. )
2) File your Articles of Organization with the state. This notifies the state of your intention to start a non-profit corporation, the charitable and fund-raising activities that you intend to pursue, and the people who will be responsible. There's an online version of the Articles of Organization to fill out, and a $35 filing fee.
Once you do this, you will be able to get a business checking account in your business name (however you won't be considered non-profit until you get federal approval (step 5). The state (MA) has a website for non-profit corporations, out of the Secretary of State's office. Many of the forms for changing your name, officers, purposes, are located here. Don't sweat these forms and decisions too much (but read Mancuso) - it's not necessary to bare your soul to the bureaucracy, and most choices you're making can be changed later with the appropriate form and filing fee!
2a) Once your state corporate filing is done and accepted (a few weeks), you'll file an online request for a "certified copy". You'll need this stamped official copy to send in with your federal filing. It will come in the mail in a week or so, and there's a small fee.
3) In the meantime, you can get your Employer ID number (EIN). Fill out the online form (you'll need your officer's addresses), and the system will generate a number. That will be your "non-profit number" when you complete this process. Be sure to PRINT THE FORM before the final step - or you won't have a copy.
3a) Go over the boilerplate By-Laws, adding your corporate name, and check that the provisions are adequate (for now). Print out a copy.
3b) open a business checking account. Any donations made to your corporation while your federal application is pending will be tax deductible retroactively, as long as they were made within a year of approval. Once your non-profit status is approved federally, you may want to change to a bank that offers free accounts to non-profits.
4) Bring your
By-Laws,
certified copy of your Articles, and
your EIN
your checkbook (to pay the $300 filing fee) and
a bank statement showing your corporate bank balance (you are disclosing this to the IRS)
to your chosen accountant. He will file the IRS Form 1023 (all 28 pages) for federal recognition of your non-profit status. The filing fee is $300 if you think you'll take in less than $10,000 per year. The accountant will also charge for his/her services (or perhaps you'll get a good deal, or perhaps you'll enlist an accountant for your board!).
Accountants are more experienced dealing with the IRS, and the financial side - I think it's preferable to use an accountant versus a lawyer. Especially one who's done it before.
5) Best case, you'll wait 30-45 days for IRS approval, if your accountant knows what s/he's doing and there aren't any flags raised, otherwise you'll go back and forth with questions/clarifications, but then you'll get approval - called your Determination Letter. This is what you show people who want you to verify your non-profit status.
6) Register your now-federally-recognized corporation with the MA Dept of Revenue, for exemption from state sales tax.
7) Register your organization with Mass Dept of Agriculture if you intend to adopt animals to the public.
You're done!
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