AMHERST – The Lillian Allbon Animal Shelter tried to give them good homes at a discounted fee during their adopt-a-thon before Christmas, but not many were adopted.
“It didn’t go very well,” said shelter acting president Paul Carr. “I think we only found homes for five or six.”
The number of stray cats has been a continued problem for the shelter. Carr said the shelter’s staff and volunteers have taken in as many as they can but continually find themselves having to turn away people who bring them in.
“We have between 30 and 35 cats right now and we have a waiting list for more,” he said. “Every day, we get more calls and we have to turn them away. It’s difficult, but what can you do? You can’t take them all.”
The shelter was having trouble with the number of cats coming in during this past summer. At the time, they were housing 42 cats, above their limit of 25.
Carr said the staff at the shelter have also asked people coming in with stray cats to take them to the Moncton SPCA.
“It’s not a great alternative,” said Carr. “But it’s the best we can do.”
Carr said he hopes with turnover, as cats get adopted out, they will be able to bring more in. Unfortunately, he said the high numbers of strays usually stays about the same.
Currently, the shelter is relying heavily on foster families, which Carr said they could use more off.
“A lot of times, we try to get the people who found them to foster them,” he said. “We’ll provide the food and medication that they need. It gives them temporary housing until we can find a place for them.”
Anyone interested in becoming a foster family for a stray cat can contact the shelter for more information.
jturner@amherstdaily.com
