Ada Whitley , who passed away in 2016 , was the founder of Stillwater ’ s Companion Animal Assistance Program .
According to the organization ’ s calculations , within eight years those two cats and their subsequent generations of offspring have the potential to produce a staggering number of cats : about 2 million .
Times have never been easy for animal rescue organizations , but when CAAP was founded , the Humane Society of Stillwater was overcrowded and struggling , CAAP treasurer Laura Gann said .
She has been part of CAAP ’ s efforts since the beginning , joining founder Ada Whitley and the rest of the original organizers at Oklahoma State University to write the bylaws .
Two decades later , she continues to be one of a small handful of volunteers who give their time and often their own money to keep it going .
Although area shelters still have too many animals , it would be much worse without CAAP ’ s efforts .
Gann says they knew the only way to fix the problem was to spay and neuter more animals . At the time , animals could be adopted from shelters without being spayed or neutered . The people adopting them were able to get some of the cost refunded after the fact , but many didn ’ t follow through .
“ Even with the vouchers , people still had to come up with the money and a lot of the time it didn ’ t get done , and pretty soon , you ’ ve got a litter of puppies or kittens back at the Humane Society ,” Gann said .
Whitley was a long-time animal advocate who volunteered in Stillwater ’ s shelters and saw the problem firsthand .
Gann laughs when she tells the story of how , after getting to know her , she realized Whitley had been the woman who years before had salvaged a potential adoption when she stopped to look at another dog , by quickly introducing her to a little dachshund that wrapped itself around her neck and stole her heart . She took the pup home and named her Becky .
“ Ada was good ,” Gann said . Until her death in 2016 , Whitley was the driving force behind CAAP and she put that same formidable salesmanship that closed adoptions at the shelter to work for the organization .
She had a way of making connections and gathering donations , even if she had to shame someone a little to get it , Gann said .
“ Ada knew everybody in town and she would call and say , ‘ Well , I ’ ve been looking and you haven ’ t made a donation this year ,’ and you know what ? They would ,”
she said . “ How many people can do that ? It ’ s very hard to do . I struggle with doing things like that , but not Ada … Ada was very special to CAAP .”
Many of those people continued to donate regularly , even after Whitley died , she said .
Whitley left some money to CAAP from her estate and the organization has received support over the years from a foundation that honors animal lover Faye Allene Rife Brown , but the accounts are getting low , Gann and CAAP board member Carolyn Mireles said .
CAAP works with individual pet owners , providing financial assistance to pay for spaying , neutering and sometimes other veterinary care for pets when their owners can ’ t afford it . It has partnerships with veterinary clinics that make that possible by giving CAAP a special , negotiated rate .
Some veterinarians have even volunteered at lowcost spay / neuter clinics sponsored by CAAP .
The organization also ensures that animals adopted from the Humane Society of Stillwater and Stillwater Animal Welfare are spayed or neutered before they go to a new home .
Since 2005 , it has spent $ 131,411 to spay or neuter 3,800 dogs and cats at Stillwater Animal Welfare alone . CAAP is by any definition , a success story that shows how a small group of dedicated volunteers can make a real impact . But that small group is getting smaller and many who remain are aging .
They need money to continue the mission , but they also need more sets of hand to do the work , Gann and Mireles said . They especially need people who can do fundraising , grant writing and publicity and are willing to serve on the board of directors .
The women say getting the word out and getting more people involved in the effort is vital if they are to continue the work they has done so well for 20 years .
“ We sometimes think CAAP is the best kept secret in Stillwater because so many people say they don ’ t know anything about us ,” they said .
To learn more about CAAP and how you can help , go to caapok . org or call 405-747-5406 . Applications for assistance are also available on the website
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PHOTO ABOVE : A cat recovers from a procedure provided with funds raised by the Companion Animal Assistance Program .
STORY BY : Michelle Charles Stillwater Oklahoma Magazine
PHOTOS : Provided
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 41