JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 The Jacksonville Humane Society is on track to close out the year with more than 10,000 animals taken in. It\u2019s the highest number the shelter has recorded since 2005, and leaders say a major reason for the surge is cats. Lots of them.<\/p>\n
Shelter CEO Lawrence Nicolas says more than two-thirds of this year\u2019s intakes are community cats, or outdoor, free-roaming felines that aren\u2019t spayed or neutered.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re outdoor, free-roaming cats who live right here in our community,\u201d Nicolas said. \u201cAnd if they\u2019re not spayed or neutered, they tend to create kittens.. and lots of kittens.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s led to shelters staying full year-round. Their short-term priority is getting cats and kittens adopted into permanent homes. But the long-term mission is clear… fix more community cats so fewer litters flood the shelter every year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we\u2019re able to get more of those cats spayed and neutered earlier, there will be much less kittens later on in the year,\u201d Nicolas said.<\/p>\n
And while kittens are dominating intake numbers, the Humane Society wants the community to remember the dogs and puppies still waiting for homes, too.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re not in the position to adopt right now, there are still plenty of ways to step in and help \u2014 especially on Giving Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cComing to adopt, foster, volunteer\u2026 but another great way you can support us is by making a gift today and helping care for the animals we have here in the shelter,\u201d Nicolas said.<\/p>\n
The shelter is open Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.<\/p>\n
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