Kitten cries penetrate the shelter after the 2-month-old calico cat named Fern is trapped behind a metal cage door while her neighbor, the slim, black Everest, is held. Small furry paws protrude from the small gaps. It just signals the start of a busy kitten season.
Summertime has us at the height of the “kitten season”. Large numbers of kittens appear at the Alachua County Animal Shelter and they are busy. As the temperature rises, so does the number of kittens that are born. The shelter is seeking help from the communities in caring for and adopting kittens.
“We lost our old cat last year,” said Jean Cibula with tears in his eyes. “It took us a while to prepare for another, but our younger cat Suzanne is 9 and needs a buddy.”
Cibula’s husband found two playful 9 week old black kittens on Facebook. She fell in love with the “cute little balls of fur” as they chased around the front window of the shelter.
“It’s kitten season and all of the shelters are full, so now is a really good time to come in and adopt the shelters and take some of the pressure off,” she said.
The warmer months mean the cats’ breeding season. Kitten season is when animal shelters experience most of the kitten and cat intake of the year. The shelter is looking for foster parents for young kittens who will temporarily house and care for the kittens until they are two months old.
In June, July and August animal shelters have the most admissions. It’s the first week of June and the Alachua County animal shelter is already filled with 66 cats and 62 dogs, Grantman said.
In addition to kittens, dogs need foster homes in the summer due to the increase in strays and owners.
As he approaches the kennel, Zuko seems to come out of nowhere, hopping up and down and barking. Unfortunately, the two-year-old American Stafford mix doesn’t do well in his kennel, she said. He came to the shelter as a stray in September.
“But when you do it, he’s hugging, lovable, and really cute,” said Jane Grantman, Alachua County shelter manager.
Zuko arrived with a skin condition, but now he’s happy, healthy, and looking for someone to commit to and keep his skin looking good, Grantman said.
However, you can also take a dog with you for just a week to get them out of their stressful environment.
With its back bent and head bowed, an Australian cattle dog named Fig nervously approaches the treat in Grantman’s outstretched hand. It took a long time to trust and interact with people, Grantman said.
Waldo is not a wallflower, however. The bulldog is silly and fun-loving.
You can’t help but laugh as the 3-year-old American Stafford Grantman greets Grantman with a smile and his two front paws on the fence of the kennel. Joey waits for stomach rubs and chest scratches. The cute but quirky dog came to them in January as a shy, shy stray. Now he’s doing zoomies in the yard, she said.
“If you’re looking for someone to bring joy into your life, Joey the dog is,” she said.
Adoption can give animals another chance in life.
Taking home a pet is $ 20 for cats and $ 40 for dogs. The animals are neutered and neutered, dewormed and vaccinated. The adoption times are Tuesday through Saturday from 10.30 a.m. to 5 a.m.
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