October 6, 2009

Feline admissions continue at a record-setting pace for the animal welfare group

The Arizona Humane Society (AHS) urges cat fanciers and would-be adopters to save the cats. Since late May, the animal welfare organization has taken in more than 9,500 cats and kittens.

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"We have so many cats coming in at the moment, we simply don't have enough space in our adoption centers for people to see them," said Shannon Valenzuela, director of shelter operations for the Arizona Humane Society. "We have healthy, adorable, adoptable cats and kittens just waiting in the wings to get their chance on the adoption floor."
       
Some felines are sitting for weeks before they end up in adoptions, which increases the likelihood for them to develop upper respiratory infections (URI), a condition that is highly contagious to cats, yet curable. All summer the organization has resorted to posting a sign outside its admissions department that boldly states cats and/or kittens that are surrendered run the risk of being humanely put down.

"Over the past seven years, we have not had to euthanize a healthy, adoptable animal due to lack of space," said Valenzuela. "We are inching closer to this undesirable outcome, as space is becoming severely limited. We are desperate to find cat adopters."

To help entice cat adopters, the AHS has reduced adoption fees for cats to $10 and kittens $15 through October 31. The reduced fees include the feline’s spay or neuter surgery, first vaccinations, a free follow-up veterinary exam and a starter kit that includes a collar, ID tag, pet carrier and a bag of pet food.

"The adoption special is a great value to have all of these extras built into the adoption fee. If it helps find these cats and kittens the loving homes they need and deserve, we will continue the special for as long as it takes," said Valenzuela.

If you must surrender your pet, AHS strongly recommends making the shelter the last resort. Instead, check with family, friends or trusted coworkers to take in your pet. 

For those who cannot adopt at this time, you can help the AHS by becoming a foster volunteer, having your pets spayed or neutered and/or making a financial contribution to help the organization maintain the costs to serve the animals in its care.
       
To adopt a cat or kitten, please visit either AHS's Sunnyslope Facility (9226 North 13th Avenue, Phoenix) and Campus for Compassion (1521 West Dobbins Road, Phoenix) anytime from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The organization also has offsite adoption locations in PetSmart stores throughout the valley. For locations and hours, please visit www.azhumane.org.
       
To learn more about the foster volunteer program, please call (602) 997-7586 ext. 1040 or visit the volunteer section of our Web site.

Learn more about low-cost spay/neuter services.