’burg and Beyond

Lewisburg, Pa.

Members of Bucknell’s Animal Rescue Club are actively preparing for “kitten season” — the period from April to October when community cats give birth to litter after litter of kittens. While “kitten season” may sound innocent, it’s actually hazardous. Unspayed cats can birth 180 kittens over their lifetime, according to the SPCA, and the resulting overpopulation increases animal suffering and mortality. In addition, the local ecosystem suffers as outdoor cats excessively prey upon small mammals and birds. Club president Evelyn Pierce ’25, a lifelong animal lover, is taking action to help humanely reduce Lewisburg’s stray population.

What They’ve Done

Bucknell students formed the Animal Rescue Club in spring 2022 under the leadership of Raleigh Singer ’22. Club members initially set up feeding stations equipped with trail cameras around campus so they could watch and track hungry visitors. Cats deemed social and eligible for adoption (usually kittens) were placed into foster homes and eventually into forever homes. Students in off-campus housing and faculty members were regular fosters. Cats that weren’t up for the transition to indoor life were trapped, neutered or spayed at a local shelter, and released, a process referred to as TNR.

Their Impact

The club has rescued and homed approximately 40 cats, and Pierce, an art & design and theatre double-major from Teaneck, N.J., accomplished her first TNR as president during the fall semester. Going forward, Pierce plans to do more to educate students and community members about the problem.

— Katie Neitz