One Woman's Life Made a Difference For Hundreds
Wine and Whiskers Event Celebrates Lives and Saves Them, Too
BAR HARBOR—Sailor’s ear is cauliflowered from far too many untreated infections. His ear is treated now, but it will always be a bit out of shape.
Sweet and gentle, he’s ready to be rescued.
He’s not the only one. The reason his ear is treated, that he’s healthy, and that he’s safe and off the streets is a simple one: people cared.
People have cared so much about the homeless animals of Hancock County that they’ve paid for medical bills, shelter, a facility, and staff so that cats like Sailor can be better than okay; they can have homes.
One of those people who cared so much that she had a significant impact—not just on the lives of animals like Sailor, but the humans around her—was Natalie Knox.
Way back in 2011, Natalie Knox organized a Kitty Palooza free cat and adoption event at WNSX, the radio station she co-owned. She was on a mission to find homes for 70 cats and kittens.
“These are not strays,” she told the Bangor Daily News. “They are simply somebody’s cats who have lost their homes for whatever sad reason.”
There are a lot of reasons that cats and dogs lose their homes. A lot of those stories are hard to hear. With over between 60 and 100 million stray and feral cats in the country, it’s impossible to know all the reasons why each animal is out there, and for some it might feel impossible to try to help, to make an impact.
Just in 2020, Maine shelters took in 2,540 stray dogs, 2,271 surrendered dogs, and 6,131 dogs transferred from other areas. 97% of those were reclaimed or adopted.
For cats in the same year, shelters took in 6,813 stray cats, 6,237 surrendered cats, and 3,618 cats transferred from other areas. Of those cats, 85% were adopted and 5% were reclaimed.
This past week the SPCA of Hancock County had over a dozen kittens in its care. It also has adult cats and dogs there, waiting, hoping for homes.
The need never stops.
Knox knew that. She did whatever she could to help. She battled for cats and dogs just as she battled against multiple myeloma, which she died from in June 2023.
“Our friend was a force of nature,” Jo-Anne Randall said on Tuesday night to those attending the Wine and Whiskers event, the main fundraiser for the SPCA of Hancock County that was also in honor of Knox.
When they first met, Randall said Knox gripped her arm and said, “My name is Natalie Knox. Please, you must help us.”
Randall couldn’t refuse Knox, and Knox couldn’t refuse trying to help the animals that needed homes. In the 1970s, Hancock and Washington Counties didn’t have animal shelters when the state mandated that all towns were responsible for their own strays. So, they started one in the back of the Small Animal Clinic in Ellsworth.
“Enter Natalie,” Randall said.
Everyone thought that because of Knox’s large heart and empathy, she wouldn’t last a day. If she lasted a day, they thought, she wouldn’t last a week.
She lasted a lifetime—approximately 884 weeks despite what Randall called Knox’s “tender heart.”
Her purse was always open because the need was always there.
For those 884 weeks, Knox just kept working, trying to raise money to help build, shape, and form the SPCA of Hancock County, trying to educate people about cats and dogs and spaying and neutering, putting in hour after hour to plan events, help the animals, help the people helping the animals.
“While she graced us, she was compassion in action,” wrote Jennifer Skiff, SPCA trustee and friend of Knox. “Every single day, devoted and unwavering, Natalie saved the lives of many thousands of innocents in our midst.”
How did she do that? How does the SPCA do it? Mostly, one at a time. One volunteer action at a time. One donation at a time. One animal saved at time.
Chris Popper spoke of how he had gone to the SPCA’s Trenton site to do a pet of the week piece for WDEA, the radio station that he works for.
“It’s just a fantastic place,” he said.
He went in and fell in love with an animal. He ended up bringing that animal home, adopting it. People should adopt animals, he said.
“Just because it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
This week’s 11th annual Wine and Whiskers event at the Bar Harbor Club showcased Knox’s commitment to the animals and the organization as well as the need that continues. It was Jamie O’Keefe’s last year chairing the event which featured Chris Popper as an emcee and Mike Perlman’s unique brand of hijinks as he tried to encourage higher bidding during the live auction by doing a cartwheel and walking on his hands.
The event is the society’s biggest fundraiser of the year, Popper said.
“The event was originally called the Fur Ball when it was first created by Dianna Emory and her daughter Bethany Savage Crane in 2007,” O’Keefe said. “In the past 18 years, the annual fundraiser has raised more than $1.5 million for the animals.”
All the money raised goes directly to support the dogs and cats in the SPCA’s care.
"This event would not be possible without the generous support of our event sponsors, auction donors, and all of the animal lovers who attend and bid on our live and silent auction items," O'Keefe said.
O’Keefe said that this year he believes the nonprofit raised over $80,000 due to sponsorships, ticket sales, silent and live auctions, and paddle raises. One of the live auction events was a trip for ten on Rick Savage’s boat with Linda Greenlaw captaining and Havana’s catering. This was organized by volunteer Diane Vreeland.
MORE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT
SERVICES OFFERED AT THE SPCA
Pet Pantry
We are happy to announce our new and improved Pet Pantry system! Click Here to Apply
Micro-chipping
Low-cost microchipping is available by appointment.
Cost: $30
Why microchip? Studies show that cats with microchips are more than twenty times as likely to be reunited with their families than cats who are not microchipped.
Emergency Medical Fund
Funds are sometimes available to help with a qualifying owner’s emergency veterinary costs. Please contact us.
Spay / Neuter Clinics
We periodically have low cost / no cost spay / neuter clinics for cats. Contact us for timing on the next clinic.
Pet Nail Clipping
Dog and cat nail clipping, appointments needed.
Cost: Donations appreciated
WAYS TO DONATE
Change a Life
Feel Better Fund
Donations made to the Feel Better Fund go directly toward the veterinary and medical costs of the animals that need the most help in our shelter.
WAYS TO DONATE
Your gift provides shelter, food, and care to animals waiting for their forever homes. Your donation may be one-time or recurring and may be made in honor or memory of a person or pet.
Pet Pal Program
When you sign up to make a recurring donation of at least $30 a month, you’ll be a valued “Pet Pal” and will automatically get monthly updates from shelter animals.
Gifts of Stock
A donation of stock can bring tax benefits to you while furthering our work to provide needed care and loving homes for animals throughout Hancock County. Please contact us at development@spcahancockcounty.org or (207) 460-0536 for information.
Legacy Giving
Create your legacy of love for cats and dogs.
When creating or modifying your estate plan, including the SPCA of Hancock County is a simple and meaningful way to ensure that we continue our lifesaving work for years to come.
The Mickey Duffy Fund
The SPCA of Hancock County is also the steward of the Mickey Duffy Fund, which helps keep pets in their home by providing relief to qualified owners for emergency veterinary bills.
Send a Check
Want to mail a check? Please make it out to:
SPCA of Hancock County
Mail to:
SPCA of Hancock County
141 Bar Harbor Road
Trenton, ME 04605
Federal Tax ID: 01-6018214
LEARN MORE
The SPCA of Hancock County website
Its Facebook page.
Unless otherwise specified, all photos Shaun Farrar and Carrie Jones of the Bar Harbor Story. Many thanks to the SPCA of Hancock County for their photos.
If you’d like to donate to help support us, you can, but no pressure! Just click here.