Ghoulish bingo raises money for animal welfare

Vernon - It was Bingo for animals Friday night, Oct. 30, as the Vernon Animal Welfare League held a fundraiser that took in $400 from the sale of bingo cards and refreshments. Ghoulish Bingo attracted about 70 people whose evening of fun will help the organization to pay for spaying and neutering of feral cats in the area. Among the many veterinary offices in the area that receive money from the League are: Vernon Veterinary Hospital, Jockey Hollow in New Milford, N.Y., McAfee Veterinary Clinic, Hamburg Veterinary Clinic and Wantage Veterinary Hospital. According to Vernon Animal Welfare League’s president Debbie VanderMaas, the nonprofit organization holds events throughout the year where they combine fun and fundraising. “It’s very expensive to spay or neuter a cat,” VanderMass said. “It costs anywhere from $175 to $300, depending on the size and the age of the animal. It’s not only beneficial to control the cat population; it helps for a lot of other reasons as well,” she said. “Spaying can help prevent cancer of the uterus. Neutering stops natural male dominance, which leads to fighting. The sad thing is that people just drop off cats behind the A&P because they can’t afford to get them fixed. That’s where we come into play.”

Find out more The group’s next fundraiser will be a 50/50 raffle, Saturday, Dec. 12, at the VanderMaas residence, 406 Route 515 in Vernon, at 2 p.m. Find out more The group’s next fundraiser will be a 50/50 raffle, Saturday, Dec. 12, at the VanderMaas residence, 406 Route 515 in Vernon, at 2 p.m. To join the organization or for information, contact Debbie VanderMaas at 973-764-6714. To join the organization or for information, contact Debbie VanderMaas at 973-764-6714.