Economic hardships strain animal shelters

Jane Tuma of El Mirage dropped off some kitten food at the Sun Cities 4 Paws intake facility in Youngtown on Saturday.

It was a small gesture, she said, to help the no-kill shelter deal with an enormous amount of incoming cats and kittens.

"It’s something I feel I can do and help make a difference," Tuma said. "I’ve always had feral cats. They are great little spirits."

The donation will help 4 Paws take care of the constant stream of kittens and cats, because 4 Paws and other local animal shelters are bursting with homeless pets that need new homes.

And it’s been the influx of cats and kittens that has been creating the most stress and caused at least one organization to warn those dropping off felines that it is likely their pet will be euthanized.

"Just in the past week alone, we have taken in 500 cats and kittens," said Shannon Valenzuela, director of shelter operations for the Arizona Humane Society, which posted the signs warning those surrendering their cats of the possible subsequent euthanasia. "The lack of cat adopters makes the situation even more crucial. We haven’t had to euthanize a healthy, adoptable animal for space in nearly seven years — a trend we definitely want to continue."

From August to September, that organization had already taken in more than 2,200 cats and kittens.

The cats and kittens at Sun Cities 4 Paws are still attempting to come in a swift pace. But being a no-kill shelter, available space is the primary concern.

Recently, the intake facility was closed for three weeks to quarantine the cats and kittens because of contagious, upper respiratory infections.

"We were a little behind while we were trying to help get that under control, but now we’re taking animals again," Stene said. "Our waiting list is a month long now instead of three months long."

Stene said 4 Paws has been taking in up to a dozen kittens each week and foster families are always needed to help care for them until they are ready for adoption.

Representatives with Sun Cities Animal Rescue in Glendale say they also are receiving a large number of phone calls from people hoping to find new homes their dogs and cats.

Kim Henson, assistant manager, said a combination of factors are contributing to the large number of cats and kittens.

"It’s kitten season," Henson said. "And unfortunately people are losing their homes and relocating, and going from homes into apartments which either don’t take animals or charge fees for pets, or the people can’t afford pet deposits."

Henson said SCAR is receiving 10 to 15 calls a day from people trying to surrender their older cats.

People are also abandoning their animals when they lose their homes and apartments, Henson said.

"And every week we get at least one cat with kittens just left in our courtyard," Henson said. "And that’s been going on for months. And the same with dogs."

Besides owner turn-ins, SCAR also receives cats off the euthanasia list at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control.

Cat adoption fees at SCAR range from $25 for cats 6 and older to $75 for kittens.

Sun Cities 4 Paws is experiencing a large number of black cats, which Stene says often get overlooked.

"We have such an overflow of black cats and I don’t know why," Stene said. "But when you have a lot of them, they tend to get overlooked."

Black cats that are located next to a cat of a different color are often passed up for the lighter or different colored cats.

To showcase some of the black cats available, Sun Cities 4 Paws is hosting a black tie event for the black cats who will be available at PetSmart in Surprise, at Grand Avenue and Bell Road.

From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, black cats will be showcased for adoption, decked out in white bows for the boy cats and black and red bows for the girl cats.

"Black cats are just such wonderful cats with amazing personalities," Stene said.

"We’ll put them all together so people can see their different personalities, as opposed to putting them next to a white or calico cat."

Sun Cities 4 Paws charges $75 for adult cats and $90 for kittens, and half off the adoption fee for adopting a second cat.

To help free up space at their locations, the Arizona Humane Society is offering a half price adoption special on cats and kittens through the month of September, which are normally $50 and $75. The reduced fee still includes the pet’s spay or neuter surgery, first vaccinations, a collar, ID tag, pet carrier and follow-up veterinary exam.

Pet overpopulation continues to play a huge role in the number of homeless pets.

"Please spay and neuter," Stene said. "We’re seeing so many kittens being born outside, and we’re getting a lot of adult cats surrendered that are not spayed or neutered."

"It makes a big difference," Stene said. "My world would be so much easier."

 FYI

Sun Cities 4 Paws

http://4pawsrescue.org/

623-876-8778

Sun Cities Animal Rescue

http://www.sunvalleypets.org/

623-872-7941

Arizona Humane Society

http://www.azhumane.org/index.shtml

602-997-7586