Our Ongoing Programs

De-Sex in the City – Begun in May 2005, De-Sex in the City began as a free spay/neuter program for dogs and cats in the Harrisburg area. In 2006, CPAA joined with Cats with No Name and used their mobile veterinary unit to offer clinics in the Allison Hill section of the city. When CPAA purchased its own mobile veterinary van, the program teamed up with Castaway Critters. In the past few years, the scope of the program has broadened. Today, De-Sex in the City:

• Provides free spay/neuter and vaccinations to inner-city Harrisburg residents;

• Provides low cost spay/neuter and vaccinations and referrals to residents of Dauphin, Cumberland, York, and Perry Counties; and

• Provides free use humane cat traps for Trap Neuter Return of feral cats in Dauphin, Cumberland, York, and Perry Counties.

Michele (Michele@cpaa.info) coordinates CPAA's spay/neuter programs.

Hounds of Prison Education (HOPE) – Begun in March 2005, the HOPE program works with the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill and CPAA member rescues. Many of the dogs involved in the program have mild behavior and social issues, have been in foster care for an extra long period of time, or just need some extra one-on-one attention to get them ready for adoption. Through HOPE, these dogs are paired with carefully screened inmates for a 6-12 week period. The inmates work weekly with a professional trainer and with prison staff and HOPE volunteers to provide the dogs with basic obedience training, socialization, behavior modification, and one-on-one attention. The dogs involved in the program graduate with a wealth of valuable skills that help give them a paw up on finding a home. Kelly M. (Kelly@cpaa.info) coordinates CPAA’s Hounds of Prison Education program.

Low-Cost/Free Vaccination and Micro-chipping Clinics – CPAA offers both free and low-cost vaccination and micro-chipping clinics with member partners and area shelters. Pat (Pat@cpaa.info) coordinates CPAA’s low-cost/free vaccination and micro-chipping clinics.

Operation CatNIP – In March 2007, CPAA, Castaway Critters, and Tri-County OIC began offering low-cost spay/neuter and vaccination clinics targeted to pet cats and feral cats for residents of the City of Harrisburg. Annette (alr@paonline.com) Castaway Critters coordinates this joint program.

Shelter Liaisons – CPAA is in the early stages of developing a shelter liaison program. More details will follow!

Our Events

Community Night at Isaac’s Restaurant and Deli – Community Night is a great way to support CPAA while treating your family to dinner out! Four times each year, CPAA schedules evenings with Isaac’s Restaurant and Deli in Lemoyne. Simply by printing a CPAA voucher and visiting Isaac’s on the designated dates, 25% of your bill will be donated to CPAA to support our ongoing mission to end the killing of dogs and cats as a means of animal population control. (The vouchers are good on both dining and take-out.)

Compassion with Fashion – In the fall of 2004, CPAA, with the support of the West Short Country Club, Talbots, and Ten Thousand Villages, presented its first luncheon and fashion show. Now in its fourth year, Compassion with Fashion is a fun-filled day with local celebrities and canine and human models representing CPAA member groups. Zella (Zella@cpaa.info) and Kelly M. (Kelly@cpaa.info) coordinate this event.

Home for the Holidays – From December 2003 through December 2006, CPAA presented an evening of good food, fine wine, and holiday music with the Eakin Trio at the Harrisburg Hilton and Towers. The evening also included a silent auction and raffles to help support CPAA and its programs. Home for the Holidays is on hiatus in 2007, but we hope to hold it again in 2008. Zella and Kelly M. coordinated this event.

Hot Dog and Bake Sales – During the summer months, CPAA schedules hot dog and bake sales at a variety of locations throughout central Pennsylvania. Pat has been coordinating these events, but she and Michele are doing such a great job with the De-Sex program that she just doesn’t have the time anymore! CPAA is looking for a “hot dog team” to take charge of these events beginning in 2007.

National Feral Cat Day – This event is held each October 16.

Spay Day USA – This event is held the last Tuesday in February.

Spay-Ghetti and No Balls Dinner – Each spring, CPAA offers an all-you-can-eat spaghetti and meat/meatless balls dinner. The evening also includes raffles to help support CPAA and its programs. Zella (Zella@cpaa.info) coordinates this event.

Woofstock – In spite of the pouring rain, more than 3,000 people braved the rain in Woofstock’s first year (2005). Since then, this fun-filled community-wide event for people and their companion animals continues to grow and grow!! In 2006, more than 70 vendors and more than 6,000 people and their companion animals attended. We can’t wait to see what 2007 brings!!!

As in the past, The Grateful Dog Walk from City Island officially kicks off the day. We will again have bands playing throughout the day, food, contests, demonstrations, spay/neuter information, low-cost vaccines and micro-chipping, raffles, rescue group booths, and much more. Michele (Michele@cpaa.info) and Pat (Pat@cpaa.info) coordinate this event.

Future Events – Plans are in the works for even more events, including a pancake breakfast in the fall of 2007, and we’re thinking about another Putts for Pets golf tournament!

Past Events – In addition to the events listed above, CPAA has hosted American Fido, Ca-“pooch”-ino, adopt-a-thons, and Putts for Pets.