SHAID Tree Animal Shelter is seeing an alarming increase in the number of kittens needing homes.
The shelter is currently caring for over 70 kittens with even more on a waitlist to be taken in.
Manager Kelly Inglis said she believes the amount of unwanted kittens has a lot to do with restrictions that were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We think its mainly due to the pandemic last year and the government prohibiting all veterinary clinics from performing spays and neuters,” explained Inglis. “They didn’t see it as an essential service at the time.”
Inglis said that because cat’s can reproduce so quickly, it’s very easy for the population to get out of control.
“They can have up to four litters per year with an average of five kitten per litter and when your dealing with stray cats outside that aren’t being spayed or neutered, it’s just basically a recipe for disaster.” explained Inglis.
Inglis stated that according to shelter records, this is the busiest year for kittens that SHAID has ever had, but luckily there has been a lot of interest in adopting the kittens so far.
She said the best thing you can do is make sure your cats are spayed or neutered is the best way to do your part to keep the number of unwanted kittens down.