ALLEY CAT RESCUE
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  • Spay/Neuter
    • Early Age Spay/Neuter
    • Misconceptions About Spay/Neuter
    • State Low Cost Spay/Neuter
  • How to Help Community Cats
    • Find a Stray Cat?
    • What is a Feral Cat? >
      • Feral vs. Stray Cats
      • Benefits of Feral Cats
    • TNR-- What does this mean? >
      • TNR Statistics
      • TNR Step-by-Step
      • Targeted Trapping
      • TNR Tips
      • Hard to Catch Cats
      • TNR Equipment Loan Resources
      • Where to Buy TNR Equipment
      • TNR/Community Cat Care Financial Resources
      • Helping Shelters Implement TNR Programs
      • Common Complaints
    • Providing Shelter
    • CAT Action Teams: TNR Groups by State
    • Health Care
    • Cat Overpopulation
    • Relocation
    • Feral Kittens >
      • What to do if you find kittens
      • Stages of Kitten Development
      • Orphaned Kittens
      • Socializing Feral Kittens
      • Fostering Kittens
    • How Rescuers Can Effectively Adopt Out Cats >
      • Adopting Adult Feral Cats
    • Winter Tips for Protecting Cats
    • Summer Tips for Cats
    • Feral Cats and the Law
    • Cats and Wildlife >
      • Cats and Predation
      • Where have all the birds gone?
      • Debunking the Myths and Misinformation: Cat Predation
      • Why Eradication Methods Fail
    • Handbook Download
  • Cat Health & Supplies
    • Health Care for Your Cat >
      • Vaccines
      • Wellness Vet Checkups
      • Microchiping
      • Nail Trimmings
      • Effects of aging
      • Hospice Care and Euthanasia Decisions
      • Financial Assistance
      • How to Prepare for an Emergency
    • FIP, FeLV, FIV >
      • Testing for FeLV/FIV
    • Common Cat Health Issues >
      • Feline Panleukopenia
      • Fleas
      • Zoonotic Diseases
      • Rabies
      • Toxoplasmosis
      • Ringworm - Symptoms and Treatment
      • Ringworm Myths Debunked
      • Obesity in Cats
      • Diabetes
      • Indoor/Outdoor Cats
    • Cats & Claws
    • Animal Cruelty Against Cats
    • Hazardous Poisons
    • Poisonous Plants
    • Cats and COVID-19
    • Cat Supplies
    • Pet Food Banks
    • Pet Disaster Preparedness
  • Cat Behavior
    • Solutions to Prevent Surrendering your cat >
      • Rehoming
    • Common Cat Behavior Issues >
      • Litter Box Problems
      • Scratching and Destructive Behavior
      • Aggressive Cats >
        • Cat on Cat Aggression
      • Meowing and Yowling
      • Urine Marking
      • Behavior Issues in Elderly Cats
    • Introducing Cats
    • Cat Enrichment
    • Tips for Entertaining an Indoor Cat
    • Cat Supply Resources
    • Lost Cat
  • African Wildcats
    • AWC Conservation Projects
    • Press Release on African Wildcat Campaign
    • Differences between AWCs and domestic cats
  • Donate
  • Store
Picture

History

Louise Holton founded Alley Cat Rescue (ACR) in 1997 as the nation’s first National Cat Protection Association. Holton co-founded Alley Cat Allies in 1990 and formed Alley Cat Rescue to include ALL cats: stray, abandoned, feral and wild.
 
Holton worked in South Africa in the mid-1970s with the Johannesburg SPCA on TNR programs, and brought to the U.S. her contacts in the United Kingdom to help set up TNR programs here. She worked with biologist and world-famous author Roger Tabor, veterinarian and TNR pioneer Jenny Remfry, The Universities Federation of Animal Welfare (U.K.), as well as the British Cat Action Trust.
 
Holton started ACR with a trap-neuter-return program for feral cats and adoption program for friendly cats. Programs now include Cat Action Teams to help people throughout the United States, an international project to help the African Wildcat in South Africa, and the Feral Fix Challenge. ACR also runs a successful barn cat program, which relocates feral cats to backyards, barns, warehouses, and shops to provide rodent control. In 2015, ACR began TNR in Los Angeles, and has sterilized hundreds of cats in the past seven years. 
 
Awards and Honors
  • In 1997, Louise won a Muse Medallion from the Cat Writers’ Association for her series of articles on feral cats published by The Animals' Voice Magazine.  
  • In 1998, Louise was awarded the National Humane Achievement Award by the Humane Coalition of Massachusetts. 
  • In 2002, ACR's newsletter, then called Alley Cat Mews, and handbook, Feral Cat Colony Management, each won a Certificate of Excellence and a Muse Medallion from the Cat Writers' Association. 
  • On November 20, 2004, Louise Holton was presented the President’s Award from the Cat Writers’ Association for her article, "Veterinary Care: Guidelines for Veterinarians Treating Feral Cats," published by Alley Cat Rescue and for her life-long career dedicated to helping feral cats. The award was sponsored by the Cat Fancier's Association and presented to the best entry among all Muse Medallion winners in the regular contest categories. This article was judged by Fran Pennock Shaw, past CWA President. Her comments included: "In addition to serving an excellent purpose by benefiting feral cats, this article fully meets its own goals of providing information and guidance to veterinarians and feral cat caregivers."
  • Louise was presented with the Animal Kingdom Kindred Spirit Award and Animal Champion Pin from the Doris Day Animal Foundation. When giving Louise the award, DDAF Executive Director, Holly Hazard, stated "people are often tempted to look the other way or give up in despair when they come across non-human beings in distress. Fortunately for the many cats you have assisted, your empathy and compassion compelled you to act where others would not have."
  • In 2011, the article "An Army of Ordinary People," published in ACR's newsletter Alley Cat Mews was awarded a Certificate of Excellence from the Cat Writers' Association. 
  • In 2007, Alley Cat Rescue’s newsletter, Alley Cat Mews, won a Muse Medallion from the Cat Writers’ Association. 
  • In 2019, Alley Cat Rescue's Instagram and Facebook pages were awarded Certificates of Excellence, as was an article titled 'Help the Whole Family During Kitten Season'.
  • Alley Cat Rescue and Louise Holton have received Certificates of Excellence from the Cat Writers’ Association in 2019, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1999, and 1998.
 
 
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  • Home
    • About >
      • Mission
      • Our Team
      • Board of Directors
      • Financial Information
      • Email Sign-up
    • ACR in the Press
    • ACR Publications >
      • Newsletters
      • Blog
      • Press Releases
      • National Surveys
    • Adoptions >
      • Adoption Application
      • Cats available for adoption
      • New Cat Checklist
      • Introducing A New Cat
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Contact Us
    • Partners
  • Action Alerts
    • Spay Neuter Pledge
    • No Declaw Pledge
    • Campaigns >
      • TNR Support Letter
      • The Feral Fix
      • Working Cats Program >
        • Shelters with Working Cat Programs
      • End Deadly Eradication Methods
      • "Fix the Family"
  • Spay/Neuter
    • Early Age Spay/Neuter
    • Misconceptions About Spay/Neuter
    • State Low Cost Spay/Neuter
  • How to Help Community Cats
    • Find a Stray Cat?
    • What is a Feral Cat? >
      • Feral vs. Stray Cats
      • Benefits of Feral Cats
    • TNR-- What does this mean? >
      • TNR Statistics
      • TNR Step-by-Step
      • Targeted Trapping
      • TNR Tips
      • Hard to Catch Cats
      • TNR Equipment Loan Resources
      • Where to Buy TNR Equipment
      • TNR/Community Cat Care Financial Resources
      • Helping Shelters Implement TNR Programs
      • Common Complaints
    • Providing Shelter
    • CAT Action Teams: TNR Groups by State
    • Health Care
    • Cat Overpopulation
    • Relocation
    • Feral Kittens >
      • What to do if you find kittens
      • Stages of Kitten Development
      • Orphaned Kittens
      • Socializing Feral Kittens
      • Fostering Kittens
    • How Rescuers Can Effectively Adopt Out Cats >
      • Adopting Adult Feral Cats
    • Winter Tips for Protecting Cats
    • Summer Tips for Cats
    • Feral Cats and the Law
    • Cats and Wildlife >
      • Cats and Predation
      • Where have all the birds gone?
      • Debunking the Myths and Misinformation: Cat Predation
      • Why Eradication Methods Fail
    • Handbook Download
  • Cat Health & Supplies
    • Health Care for Your Cat >
      • Vaccines
      • Wellness Vet Checkups
      • Microchiping
      • Nail Trimmings
      • Effects of aging
      • Hospice Care and Euthanasia Decisions
      • Financial Assistance
      • How to Prepare for an Emergency
    • FIP, FeLV, FIV >
      • Testing for FeLV/FIV
    • Common Cat Health Issues >
      • Feline Panleukopenia
      • Fleas
      • Zoonotic Diseases
      • Rabies
      • Toxoplasmosis
      • Ringworm - Symptoms and Treatment
      • Ringworm Myths Debunked
      • Obesity in Cats
      • Diabetes
      • Indoor/Outdoor Cats
    • Cats & Claws
    • Animal Cruelty Against Cats
    • Hazardous Poisons
    • Poisonous Plants
    • Cats and COVID-19
    • Cat Supplies
    • Pet Food Banks
    • Pet Disaster Preparedness
  • Cat Behavior
    • Solutions to Prevent Surrendering your cat >
      • Rehoming
    • Common Cat Behavior Issues >
      • Litter Box Problems
      • Scratching and Destructive Behavior
      • Aggressive Cats >
        • Cat on Cat Aggression
      • Meowing and Yowling
      • Urine Marking
      • Behavior Issues in Elderly Cats
    • Introducing Cats
    • Cat Enrichment
    • Tips for Entertaining an Indoor Cat
    • Cat Supply Resources
    • Lost Cat
  • African Wildcats
    • AWC Conservation Projects
    • Press Release on African Wildcat Campaign
    • Differences between AWCs and domestic cats
  • Donate
  • Store