PITTSTON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — As the colder months approach, many stray animals are forced to brave harsh conditions. With the help of her friends, a woman in Pittston is helping those animals find shelter during the wintertime.
"You don't need to be a big organization to make a big impact," Skye Fedkenheuer from Pittston said.
Skye Fedkenheuer has been helping animals survive the winter months for years.
She turns totes and styrofoam containers into shelters that can keep stray cats warm and gives them away for free.
"This is really just the bare minimum. Everyone has the opportunity to help a stray cat, whether that's getting it fixed, taking it to the clinic, feeding it, making a shelter, like all these little things add up," Fedkenheuer explained.
Both the styrofoam containers and totes get filled with straw; the dry stalks won't freeze if the cat's fur is wet.
Inside the tote is another method of fending off chilly temperatures.
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"So, mylar insulation is neat because it does reflect that cat's body heat against it, so they'll get nice and toasty, and then the same thing: straw inside and cut the hole," Fedkenheuer continued.
Once the shelters are made, Fedkenheuer gives them out to anyone interested.
After that, she donates the rest to local organizations, like Street Cats and Dogs of Nay Aug Zoo.
"When she asked us last year if she could give us her, say, leftovers that she couldn't hand out, we were thrilled because we can't make enough, I mean, we're all volunteers," Street Cats and Dogs of Nay Aug Zoo Board Member Sheri Sakosky told 28/22 News.
By working together, Fedkenheuer and the organizations she works with can help the animals see springtime.
"They didn't ask, necessarily, to be strays or community cats. A lot of them, maybe, were pets at one point and were dumped outside, and kind of aren't trusting of humans. So, to be able to keep them warm, and you know that they aren't out in the elements, it definitely really means a lot. It means a lot to me and my neighbors who do it," Sakosky added.
The impact these shelters have on stray animals is what makes the process so fulfilling each year.
"Animal welfare has been something that's always been important to me my whole life. So, knowing that I'm improving their quality of life and preventing them from passing on diseases after they've been fixed, vaccinated, it really just means a lot to me," Fedkenheuer said.
Anyone interested in donating materials or establishing their own shelter for stray cats can visit the website for more information.
