By Sue Wambolt, Contributing Writer
Marlborough/Hudson – Metrowest Animal Awareness Society (MAAS) was founded in 2002 as a 501(3)c feline rescue organization operated entirely by volunteers. In order to control the feral and homeless cat population in Marlborough, Hudson and surrounding towns, MAAS began a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program with feeding stations where the cats are fed daily. The organization maintains a foster care adoption program, with Meow Mixers (meet-and-greet events) twice a month at the Pet Source locations in Stow and Marlborough.
As a way to better reflect its mission, MAAS has changed its name to Cat Rescue of Hudson and Marlborough (CaRMaH).
“Our name didn’t match our purpose,” CaRMaH President Jocelyne Durrenberger said. “We would get calls from as far away as Newton. The calls would be concerning hawks, turtles, injured grows, dogs and ferrets. “Animal Rescue” was just too broad of a term to use, so we felt a name change was in order.”
While Durrenberger and her band of volunteers brainstormed ideas for a new name, and had many great ideas, it was her husband, Mark, who came up with Cat Rescue of Hudson and Marlborough. Aside form the catchy abbreviation, the new name did what the organization wanted – to tell folks who they are. According to Durrenberger, the only thing that will be changing is the organization's name. They will still have the “great group of citizen volunteers, who rescue, foster and adopt out homeless cats.”
Each year the cat rescue adopts out over 300 cats and kittens, and TNR over 70 feral cats. CaRMaH currently has 14 adoptable cats posted on its website, www.carmah.org, and 16 kittens coming of age for adoption.
CaRMaH celebrated its new name at a ribbon-cutting ceremony April 14 at Petco, 205 Washington St., Hudson.
For more information on CaRMaH visit http://www.carmah.org/.
(Photos/Sue Wambolt)