Earlier this year, Animal Planet television network requested nominations for the Animal Planet 2007 Fresh Step Litter Cat Hero Award. The network sought a person who went above and beyond to help cats in need. Thousands of people were nominated, and Animal Planet selected 10 finalists. Now, cat lovers may cast their vote for the person they think most deserves the honor.
Nominees are posted on the Animal Planet website, with profiles about their work with cats. The nominees, listed in alphabetical order, include:
- Maryanne Farrell, who helped save and find homes for hundreds of cats in Western Pennsylvania
- Mark Kittleson, who worked to identify the cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in Maine Coon cats
- Lynea Lattanzio, founder of the Cat House on the Kings, a no-kill rescue and adoption center for cats in Northern California
- Gertrude Maxwell, the 96-year-old founder of Save-A-Pet, a humane animal welfare organization that provides funds for low-cost spay/neuter services
- Kay McElroy, owner of Cedarhill Animal Sanctuary in Mississippi, which provides refuge to exotic and domestic animals
- Pam Miller, founder of SAFE Haven for Cats in North Carolina
- Norma Milton, who has actively rescued stray and abandoned cats for more than 45 years
- Cimeron Morrissey, founder of Project Bay Cat, a successful feral cat management program in San Francisco
- Harold Sims, owner of a 4,000-square-foot cat rescue and adoption shelter
- Gina Stefanides, founder of Feline Rescue, a trap-neuter-return rescue group in Florida
For more information on the nominees and to cast your vote, visit the Animal Planet website.