Looking for something friendly, cuddly and most importantly free this holiday season?
The free cat giveaway at the Emporia Animal Shelter has been extended until the end of January. Local residents are invited to stop by the shelter at 1216 Hatcher St. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays to pick out one of the 50 cats available for free adoption.
In September, city leaders decide to waive the normal $20 cat adoption fee until Thanksgiving. The shelter had been overrun with cats needing a home, which sparked the cat giveaway.
The vast majority of pet cats picked up by animal control aren’t retrieved by owners. A total of seven cats got picked up by their owners in 2009.
Emporia Police Lt. Scott Cronk said since the start of the free cats promotion, 80 cats have been adopted. They have also been able to send about 45 more to cat rescue operations.
Unfortunately an illness that spread through the shelter earlier this fall led to the loss of 21 cats, he said.
“It was a respiratory problem that spread,” Cronk said. “It’s under control now.”
The shelter still has a number of healthy kittens and cats because a fair amount have been brought in the last two months. There typically is a spike of new pets needing homes this time of year because it’s when many kittens are born.
To help reduce the population in the future, the shelter organized a neuter scooter trip to Kansas City. About 40 feral cats were spayed or neutered for $15 each. Those make good barn cats, said Peggy Derrick, shelter director.
A second neuter scooter trip on Tuesday spayed or neutered 42 more cats, Derrick said. Every cat up for adoption except for four or five kittens have been spayed or neutered, she said.
The shelter has received donations for these trips so it is not costing taxpayers anything, Cronk said.
A related giveaway is now under way with the city providing free pet licenses.
In the past the license fee was $3 for spayed or neutered pets or $10 for non-spayed or neutered pets. City Manager Matt Zimmerman said in September there were about 250 dogs licensed in Emporia.
It is against the law to not have a dog or cat licensed. The current fine for an unlicensed pet is $30. Next year the first offense for an unlicensed pet will be $25. But it will jump up to $75 for the next offense.
The licenses are available at the animal shelter, Emporia Police Department, 518 Mechanic St.; Dorsey Animal Clinic, 2909 W. 12th Ave.; East Emporia Veterinary Center, 602 Exchange St.; and Emporia Veterinary Hospital, 710 Anderson St. Pet owners are asked to bring written proof the dog or cat is current on their rabies vaccination.
mslater (Matt Slater) says...
http://www.catrecipes.com/
Yes, it's exactly what you think it is.
December 19, 2010 at 3:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
I applaud the city's effort to get more of these animals into homes. But I hope their enthusiasm to move the cats into caring homes is not clouding the due diligence I hope they use in deciding who is allowed to adopt the animals.
I would hate to think the animals that had been rescued and saved were adopted right back out to the authors of the disgusting book linked above.....or other such cretins.
Oh.....And I don't care if cats....or dogs.....poop in my yard. I have a yard broom that cleans it up nicely and I'm glad to be able to provide them with a safe place to do it. So for those that can't stand a little poop.....There is yet another good reason to stay away from my house.....:>)
December 19, 2010 at 6:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )