PAWS almost empty
A no-fee adoption event clears out the cats and small dogs, although the shelter is expected to be overflowing again soon with new spring litters.
The “Free The Shelters” adoption event at PAWS did exactly what it was intended to do.
“We’re all out of cats,” said a smiling April Smith, office manager at the Floyd County animal shelter at 99 North Ave. “And we don’t have too many dogs left, either.”
Smith said Sunday that the three days of no-fee adoptions looked to be a rousing success, with 24 pets going to new homes Friday and 18 out the door on Saturday. There were two adoptions in the first half-hour Sunday and a steady stream of families coming through the doors.
Cindy Cordle and her 5-year-old daughter Maliya Hightower left without a puppy, but not before spending some time playing with the remaining animals.
“The small ones are all gone,” Cordle said. “But we’ll keep an eye out for updates.”
It won’t be long, according to Smith, who noted that spring is the litter-season for dogs and cats and the cages are
expected to fill back up rapidly.
“It’s already started,” she said. “We took in 12 kittens and their mother Friday, but they’re too young to adopt out. They have to be at least 8 weeks old.”
The cat family was sent to Floyd Felines, a local animal rescue group that will care for the kittens until they’re ready to go off on their own.
‘We’re all out of cats. And we don’t have too many dogs left, either.’ April Smith office manager at Floyd County PAWS animal shelter at 99 North Ave.
Meanwhile, brothers Jackson, 9, and Andy, 7, Fowler were fascinated by Esmerelda, the redtailed boa constrictor who’s been a permanent member of the PAWS family for nearly a decade. Corrections officer Cody Waters had her out of her cage in the lobby, for close-ups with kids visiting the facility.
“She’s a people-snake,” Waters said, offering the
6-foot-long reptile around for petting.
Jackson took him up on it readily, insisting that he wasn’t afraid at all.
“I caught a snake before,” he explained.
The “Free The Shelters” event was sponsored by PRAI Beauty, which paid the fee — $35 for cats, $40 for dogs — for every animal adopted this past weekend. CEO Cathy Kangas said they picked 10 shelters around the country to focus on making room for what is usually an overflow of
‘She’s a peoples nake.’ Corrections officer Cody Waters speaking of Esmerelda
stray and surrendered animals in the spring.
PAWS, the public animal welfare services facility, is open every day except Wednesdays. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.