Barbra Wittnen is a bright new star in the Rosarito rescue scene. Barbra, a retired landscape artist, moved to Mexico with her husband Mitch, hoping to devote her time to her art. Once settled in Rosarito she began to meet members of Rosarito’s growing pet rescue community. This was not such a surprising development, as Barbra had spent 13 years as a member of the US Cat Fancy Association.
Now, Barbra has teamed up with Rosarito’s leading rescue organizations, Give Some life and S.C.A.A.T., (Second Chance Animal Advocate Trade Post) and has begun to share her expertise about cats with everyone in the community. Barbra told the Baja Times, “I love meeting people and talking to them about proper pet care. I spend a lot of time up in the colonias, visiting friends and talking to people about their cats. I always promote spaying and neutering and encourage people to bring their pets and the neighborhood cats to the S.C.A.A.T. clinics.”
More outreach is needed in these hillside communities. For many years, the rescuers were mostly Americans, communicating with other Americans. The need to reach out to these outlying areas with help and information is crucial to getting control of the city’s homeless pet population. Barbra Witten has begun to fill this need.
Barbra said that “there are more cats in Baja than ever before. Americans are here now, feeding them, and they are reproducing at an ever increasing rate. The spay clinics are desperately trying to keep up with this population boom.” Barbra also stated that she would like to see more of the Americans who do feed these stray cats in their communities to make a serious effort to get them trapped, brought to the clinics and sterilized.
Karen Patonai, president of the SCAAT organization, said “There is a tremendous need for education and training for pet owners and also for people who rescue animals. The SCAAT organization is planning to organize educational seminars and meetings at the Trading Post in the near future.
Barbra Witten, in her very special, bright and exuberant way, is sharing her 13 years of cat expertise with all areas of the Rosarito community, helping to insure a brighter future for all pets and pet owners.
S.C.A.A.T. UP DATE
Karen Patonai told the Baja Times that the S.C.A.A.T program, in co-ordination with the Give Some Life Foundation, has successfully completed over 1,000 pet sterilizations since the Rosarito clinic opened its doors in April 2009.
The clinic also offers free surgeries to the Rosarito pound, and all pet owners. The City of Rosarito has also begun a special project to help reduce the pet overpopulation: anyone can call, report an unsterilized homeless pet roaming the streets, and the city canine control truck will appear and whisk it away to the clinic, sterilize it, and return it to the neighborhood. This program of “sterilize and release” has proven to be the most effective way of dealing with pet overpopulation problems.” Rosarito is the first city in Baja to have this very special program.
To volunteer for the SCAAT Trading Post, clinics and activities, (and meet Barbra!) please contact Karen Patonai Rosarito, (661) 6-3-0737- US/Vonage 619-377-4433. Email Karen at karenpatonai@yahoo.com.
Trading Post store hours: Wed-Sun 10am-3pm 661-100-6062
Membership applications are available at the SCAAT Trading Post thrift store. The thrift store is located south of Rosarito on Popotla Blvd, across from the Tapanco Steakhouse and the OXXO store.
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