The Emporia Animal Shelter, 1216 Hatcher St., and the H. Dale Buck Fund foster homes resemble catapalooza with an influx of cats and kittens.
While the phrase “catapalooza” may be catchy, this is no laughing matter for those who have a stake in animal rescue.
Peggy Derrick, shelter manager at the Emporia Animal Shelter, said this week that every cat pen is full. Derrick said it’s been a mix of adult cats and kittens.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” Derrick said. “We’re still getting people moving and signing over.”
It’s pretty much the same story with dogs, Derrick said.
“We’re hanging in there, barely,” she said. “We’re full.”
MiChielle Cooper, executive director of the Buck Fund, said the fund pulled 16 kittens out of the shelter and sent them to Kansas City via the “Neuter Scooter,” which is a low-cost spay and neuter program the fund works with. Several other cats and dogs were returned to Emporia on Thursday after being “fixed” through the program Wednesday. The spayed and neutered kittens will be available for adoption and will come with vaccinations.
“We felt this was a donation in chance of these animals becoming someone’s best friend instead of having their sweet lives cut short due to overpopulation in our community,” Cooper said. “It’s catapalooza season, ya know? Although, not a funny situation at all.”
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Posted by madpoet (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 10:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Charge less for adoption and you'll move more. Most people can't cough up $40-$50 for an animal then get everything else ready for it's new home.
Posted by Absolute (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe they should lower the costs of the adoption and be open normal business hours.
Posted by justthefacts (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 1:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Aren't you all the same folks who are complaining about taxes going up? The fees charged now don't cover the cost of boarding the animals as it is. You want more hours and staff to man the place? It's gonna cost something. Can't have one without the other. Given the fact there is only 1 full time shelter director and two animal control officers (1 FT, 1 PT (cut a few years ago because of budget cuts) they are only open for the hours they currently are because the staff is willing to be flexible for the hours worked. I was out there the other day when the director opened the door after hours for a person there only to have them scream and curse at her for having their dog picked up. If you want it, you will have to pay for it. And don't tell me they can cut someplace else. I've looked at the budgets as I suggest you should and there aren't too many places left to cut after 8 years of budget reductions and position replacements. Public works used to have over 15 employees and now they have five. The police department has five fewer officers than they did six years ago, I could go on and on. You are reaping the benefits of your no new taxes mentality. Maybe you all would like to donate to the animal shelter fund to help pay for the costs of the animals so they could go out cheaper or better yet, I guess you could be a foster parent for the animals to reduce the costs.
Posted by alfalfa (anonymous) on May 30, 2008 at 7:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Tried to adopt a dog from the Buck Fund, I think adopting a child would have been easier. The cost is too high, and the process a tad over the top. There are plenty of free cats around, that is the issue here.
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