For Immediate Release

Contact: Erin Long, Marketing Coordinator
Humane Society of Harford County
410-836-1090, x106
erin@harfordshelter.org

Fallston, MD (October 18, 2017) – The Free Roam Cat Rooms are full. The Kitten Room is full. All the cages in the stray cat room and inside the veterinary department are full. Literally, everywhere you look at the Humane Society of Harford County (HSHC), you see cats who are unaware that the shelter staff is literally racing to save their lives.

Between October 1 and 17, HSHC has taken in 89 cats and kittens. While cat adoptions during this period stand at 75, HSHC still has over 223 cats in its care.

For the last several weeks, HSHC has reduced the adoption fee on all adult cats from $95 to $25 in hopes of finding homes for current residents and making room for new arrivals. Now, the need to place cats into loving, forever homes has become critical, so the shelter is waiving adoption fees on adult cats as well as kittens until at least October 31 at 6pm to save as many lives as possible.

“We literally have nowhere left to put incoming cats,” said Cat Kelly, HSHC’s director of shelter operations.

The community is urged to take action by adopting, spaying and neutering their pets to help with the overpopulation crisis, and microchipping pets – even if they never go outside. Of the 89 cats and kittens that have arrived at HSHC since October 1st, 68 were strays, and it is exceedingly rare that owners reclaim their cats.

“We have a 2 percent return to owner rate for cats in Harford County,” explained executive director Jen Swanson. “The national average is just 3-5 percent. Cats are highly territorial, and most domestic cats will seldom venture far from home. Usually – over 70 percent of the time – cats find their own way home and can avoid a trip to the local shelter.”

“A cat can make a wonderful addition to a family,” Kelly said. “Now is a great time to adopt a feline or two. We urge people to take advantage of the waived adoption fees and help save a life.”

About the Humane Society of Harford County
The Humane Society of Harford County, Inc., is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to the welfare and well-being of the approximately 4,500 animals that come to us each year. We promote the kind treatment of homeless, stray and abandoned animals by providing shelter, care, adoptions, and community education. We are not a county agency nor are we affiliated with any national or regional organization. Your tax-deductible donations, bequests, and proceeds from events are crucial to our life-saving efforts on behalf of the animals of our community.