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Humane Society of Harford County waives adoption fees for cats, says it's running out of room

Posted at 3:59 PM, Oct 18, 2016

and last updated 2016-10-19 06:20:03-04

The Humane Society of Harford County says it has so many cats that adoption fees for felines have been waived indefinitely.

The Humane Society said it's taken in 102 cats since Oct. 1. There are more than 300 cats at shelter, including 98 cats and kittens in foster care, 21 up for adoption at satellite adoption centers, and 202 are in residence at the shelter.

“We literally have nowhere left to put incoming cats,” Cat Kelly, HSHC’s director of shelter operations, said in a news release. “Without adoptive families or rescue partners coming to adopt or take cats, some very difficult decisions will have to be made, and we do not want to do that.”

"We are seeing an explosion I guess because the weather has been so nice and were continuing to see cats and kittens that are coming into the shelter every day," Erin Long, HSHC's marketing director, said.

That's why Long says they need the public's help.

"We're begging the community to come out and adopt we really need to find these animals homes," Long said.

Plus, the cats are ready for adoption right now. "You're getting a fully vetted cat with all of its shots, it's had a health check, it gets a microchip," Long said.

Amanda Rose and her kids are hoping to add another pet to their family from HSHC.

"Animals can't really defend themselves, they have nobody to speak for them so i think it's important for somebody to speak for them."

Many of the cats at the shelter are strays and the more that come in, the harder it is to care for them.

"It's a huge burden on the shelter because it has a ripple effect not only in the amount of supplies that were going through it's an emotional toil on the staff, said Long.

The Humane Society urges pet owners to spay and neuter their pets, and microchip them even if they never go outside.

Of the 102 cats and kittens that have arrived at HSHC since Oct. 1, 81 were strays, and it's rare that owners reclaim their cats.

Click here for more information on adoption.

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Humane Society of Harford County waives adoption fees for cats, says it's running out of room

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