More than 70 kittens arrived at Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society last week – a number Executive Director Kim Hays said the shelter hasn’t seen in 15 to 20 years. In addition, CLHS is seeing more owners surrender than normal with an average of 30 a month.
Although Oktibbeha County Humane Society hasn’t seen high surrenders, it has seen a 30% drop in adoptions compared to last year, Executive Director Michele Anderson told The Dispatch.
OCHS and CLHS are officially over capacity, with both Hays and Anderson citing local economic struggles as the likely driver for decreased adoption rates and increasing surrenders, respectively.
“I’m not going to judge anybody. … They maybe just can’t afford the animal. … However, we are just in a bind,” Hays said. “We’ve doubled up and had to take space. … I’m taking animals home. My staff is taking animals home.”
Both OCHS and CLHS are open intake shelters, meaning they hold contracts with their respective cities and counties prohibiting them from turning away animals brought in by animal control.
Despite their situations, both Hays and Anderson said the shelters have avoided euthanizing due to capacity. Instead, Anderson said OCHS, alongside local partners including CLHS, carried 120 animals to cities with higher demands for adoptions last week, but the problem still persists.
“Because adoption and the other things we’re doing to try to mitigate the crisis through transport and other programs aren’t enough, sometimes we have to make difficult decisions and it’s very heartbreaking,” Anderson said.
In hopes of mitigating the issue, both shelters are currently offering adoption specials. OCHS has decreased their cat adoption fee to $45 and is planning to add a special for dogs in the coming weeks. CLHS is offering a 2-for-1 deal on kitten and cat adoptions and has lowered puppy adoption fees by half. Senior dog adoptions are free.
Since starting the special on Monday, the shelter has adopted out 15 animals, Hays told The Dispatch on Tuesday.
Hays is also asking residents to hold onto any animals for about a week as the shelter staff works to bring capacity back under control through adoptions and relocations. She is looking into ways the shelter can help lower the cost of vet care to help owners keep their animals.
OCHS currently has programs to help people afford to care for their animals during challenging financial times.
“The shelters are overflowing and programming is great and providing support through community services. … (But) it is only basically a stop gap. It is not going to solve the problem,” Anderson said. “The only way we are going to solve this crisis is proactive spay and neuter.”
OCHS offers low-cost spay and neuter for owners looking to get their pet fixed.
Jessie Jones, director for the West Point Clay County Animal Shelter, was unavailable to comment prior to press time on Tuesday.
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