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This is a very sad situation. And two staff members getting ringworm is bad as well. And after putting down 36 cats they receive 63 more. When will idiots realize how dangerous and stupid it is to not get their pets fixed? I simply don't understand it.
So sad and I don't understand it either. What's worse is I've read fools on the internet saying the pet overpopulation problem is a myth. The shelter I work at has space for 50 cats on the adoption floor, and about 20 more in the sickbay/quarantine area. In the year and a half I've been there we've never had fewer than 40 cats on any given day, and we spent most of last year over capacity. We had to ask for donations of cages and pens and set them up in the lobby to have somewhere to put all the cats, because most of the cats we get are strays picked up by Animal Control, and if we don't have room for more then AC has to euthanize. There absolutely are more cats than homes for them, I'm sure that's not unique to my town, and it's frustrating.
I am a volunteer at our local SPCA (wonderful, no-kill, innovative shelter). During orientation for the kitten nursery, the head of veterinary services stated that ringworm outbreaks are next to impossible to control.
A couple of years ago, 36 kittens came down with ringworm. Fortunately, they were all treated successfully (expensive and time-consuming). Now an incoming kitten or cat will be euthanasized if it tests positive for ringworm. Sad, but she explained ringworm is highly contagious and the shelter does not have the time or funds to treat an outbreak. If this shelter euthanizes, then I have to believe the problem is very serious.
There were the beginnings of a ringworm outbreak in the rescue where I got my boy, when I arrived to get him. She told my son not to pet the kittens that were running around loose, one had ringworm. It's one reason why I'm thankful that Nimbus was in a little cage up off the floor, sad situation though it was for him. Many of the cats there looked sick in one manner or another. She was actually telling me I could leave him until he got better. I told her no, I'd take responsibility for getting him healthy and wouldn't hold her liable in any way for anything that happened in that regard. So glad he was reasonably healthy, aside from his upper respiratory infection, when I got him and had him vetted and all. Poor kitties.
So sad and I don't understand it either. What's worse is I've read fools on the internet saying the pet overpopulation problem is a myth. The shelter I work at has space for 50 cats on the adoption floor, and about 20 more in the sickbay/quarantine area. In the year and a half I've been there we've never had fewer than 40 cats on any given day, and we spent most of last year over capacity. We had to ask for donations of cages and pens and set them up in the lobby to have somewhere to put all the cats, because most of the cats we get are strays picked up by Animal Control, and if we don't have room for more then AC has to euthanize. There absolutely are more cats than homes for them, I'm sure that's not unique to my town, and it's frustrating.
I think you need to learn about the new approach that is coming to shelters and that is to cut down on euthanasia by means of many important behaviors: Alley Cat Allies
I think you need to learn about the new approach that is coming to shelters and that is to cut down on euthanasia by means of many important behaviors: Alley Cat Allies
I would explain it here but it is ALL explained in the sites I have linked.
That is a really good program, I would love to see all shelters who euthanize do that. We're already a no-kill shelter, that's why we did all we could to make room for more cats when we were full. I don't think our AC had to euthanize any cats last year, but I'm not sure about the ACs in the rural counties surrounding us. We often take their animals because we're the biggest shelter around here for about 30 miles. We stopped taking cats from those neighboring ACs and shelters for a few months when we were full. I'll see if I can send that link to the staff at the smaller shelters, I think it would help.
That is a really good program, I would love to see all shelters who euthanize do that. We're already a no-kill shelter, that's why we did all we could to make room for more cats when we were full. I don't think our AC had to euthanize any cats last year, but I'm not sure about the ACs in the rural counties surrounding us. We often take their animals because we're the biggest shelter around here for about 30 miles. We stopped taking cats from those neighboring ACs and shelters for a few months when we were full. I'll see if I can send that link to the staff at the smaller shelters, I think it would help.
Might I suggest that they could get in touch with Alley Cat Allies, because Alley Cat Allies gives a lot of free technical advice to small shelters and rescues. That is their mission.
So sad and I don't understand it either. What's worse is I've read fools on the internet saying the pet overpopulation problem is a myth. ...........There absolutely are more cats than homes for them, I'm sure that's not unique to my town, and it's frustrating.
Have you tried those fee free or very cheap adoption days? I saw on FB that several shelters advertized this and almost every cat was adopted out. Have you taken them off-site to the local PetStores to up adoptions?
Have you tried those fee free or very cheap adoption days? I saw on FB that several shelters advertized this and almost every cat was adopted out. Have you taken them off-site to the local PetStores to up adoptions?
We do weekly or monthly themed specials, like in October all black cats are 50% off. Plus we have a VIP (very important pet!) donation fund where the money pays the adoption fees of our older animals and the ones that have been at our shelter for over a year. We do visits to Petco but only once or twice a year because we want the smaller shelters and rescue groups near us to be able to have that opportunity. The nearest shelter to us is in a rural area, they keep the animals running loose in a barn (they at least have separate barns for dogs and cats) and don't adequately monitor their health. It seems to be a universal feeling among the staff at my shelter that we want to see animals adopted out of that shelter ASAP.
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