In neighborhoods across Polk County, two dedicated organizations are quietly transforming the future of local animal welfare. The Coalition for Animal Rights and Education in Polk County, known as CARE, and the Street Cat Project of Polk County, known as SCP, are working side by side to bring modern, humane practices to the community, combining policy advocacy and leadership with hands-on care for the county’s free-roaming cats.
CARE, led by Eve Salimbene, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through Knowledge Assessed, focuses on improving transparency and accountability within Polk County’s sheltering and animal control systems. The organization has become known for its clear, accessible educational materials, standardized candidate questionnaires, and data-driven policy briefs that help residents understand intake trends, euthanasia statistics, and the challenges facing local shelters. CARE’s mission centers on empowering the community with reliable information and advocating for modern, humane animal welfare standards.
The Street Cat Project brings that mission to life with boots on the ground. Through its Trap Neuter Vaccinate Return program, known as TNVR, volunteers humanely trap community cats, provide spay and neuter surgeries, vaccinations, and ear tipping for identification, then return the cats safely to their outdoor homes with a colony caretaker. These efforts reduce the number of kittens entering shelters, lower euthanasia rates, improve colony health, and create more stable neighborhoods for both animals and residents…