STANTON, Mich. -- The Mid Michigan Humane Society in Montcalm County has a wait list 70 people long, all hoping to surrender cats or kittens before winter hits. That equals 142 cats in need of homes.
The shelter is at capacity, and their facility is a lot smaller than they'd like. They're currently in the old Animal Control building, but that department was cut due to budget constrictions more than a year ago.
That's good news for cats, since Animal Control used to euthanize for space.
Now, as a no-kill shelter, they just don't have enough room to take in all the calls they get about people wanting to surrender cats or kittens.
“We end up with a lot of angry phone calls, from people who are upset. We empathize with them," Mid Michigan Humane Society Executive Director Angela Hollinshead said. "We understand you’re trying to do what’s right, you want to care for them, but you might not have the resources necessary to take care of them yourself."
The humane society is run mostly by volunteers. That means they have limited hours and not as many resources as they'd like, either.
“It’s been a struggle. There’s a lot of them. And there’s not a lot of resources in the community right now for spaying and neutering and things like that,” Hollinshead said.
Right now, some cats are available for adoption for just $20. Regular adoption rates are between $40-$80, but that includes vaccinations and spaying/neutering. Those are steps Hollinshead says are often skipped when people take in cats for free that will end up costing you at the vet's office later.
They have limited hours due to most of their staff being volunteer, as well. But Hollinshead says she has no problem coming in early or staying late to help put a cat in a good home.
For more information, contact the Mid Michigan Humane Society here.
