Linda Luther presents a call to action
Story by Press Reporter Macenna True
“See a need, fill a need” is a quote from head robot Bigweld in Bluesky’s animated film Robots. It is just want Martin resident Linda Luther does every day for the stray and feral cats of her hometown. “Everyone knows who I am and what I am doing when they see me out every night,” she said. Every evening, Luther packs up her vehicle and scoots around town to various spots where stray and feral cats wait for her. She provides them with food and water while keeping a mental tally approximation of which felines showed up for chow. She has done so for years and in her retirement from UT Martin has made her feline friends a priority.
With the winter months approaching, Luther has been increasingly worried about her furry friends. She would like to see people come forward who are willing to provide some of the cats with a safe home and a steady food supply throughout the cold temperatures. She understands not everyone can bring one inside their home but she said, “People have barns, garages and other outdoor structures that would be adequate to protect these animals from the extreme cold and in return they would be able to keep away other undesirable critters seeking the same.”
Of the current cats she tends to she said, “In the winter they will sit out in the snow and wait for me to bring them food,” she said. “ I wish we had a cat rescue shelter around here like the Humane Society. A place that can take in and care for these cats, get them fixed and healthy and find them loving homes.”
What Luther would really like to see is a cat rescue in the county. “I know several people who would be willing to help,” she said. “And so many students at county schools and the college need volunteer hours and would want to work with animals.” She said she is willing to assist in any way she can if anyone would like to come forward and work on a plan to get a rescue up and running.
“When we think of the vulnerable, we think of children, the sick, and the elderly. We also need to think of the animals.” Luther notes that there are animal rescues within the county, but none that focus on area felines. “Most of the rescues focus on dogs, getting them treated, spayed or neutered and re-homed and the cats are just left out.”
Luther said she had spoken to the chancellor at the University of Martin and he seemed to be on board with doing what he can to assist the city as far as giving the students an opportunity to volunteer there.
The Press reached out to UTM for their take on Luther’s plea. Chief Communications Officer Bud Grimes responded. “The university uses animals for teaching and has contracts with local humane societies to help provide animals for teaching in the Veterinary Science and Technology Program. These contracts also provide great service-learning opportunities for our students as they provide care for the animals under veterinary oversight, which makes the animals more adoptable when they return to the humane societies. Many clubs and student organizations also volunteer and help these groups. Unfortunately, the Veterinary Science and Technology Program does not have the capacity or personnel to run an animal shelter on campus. However, if a humane society for cats formed in Weakley County or Martin, we would definitely try to encourage students to help out with that group when possible.”
In the meantime, though, Luther has animal traps and is willing to help relocate Martin’s roaming feral cats to new homes for the winter if people are willing to foster or keep them. If you are interested, please call her at 731-514-5018.
