Animal shelter encourages spaying and neutering cats after large number of euthanizations
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BLACKFOOT — A local animal shelter is pleading for people to spay and neuter their pets. In July, the shelter received more than 100 cats, and 81 of them had to be euthanized.
“For this time of year, unfortunately, it is normal. Last year (during July) we had 14 cats euthanized,” said Amanda Cevering, director for Blackfoot Animal Shelter and Rescue. She explained the number of euthanized cats fluctuates significantly each month.
She says in the year 2020, a total of 311 cats were euthanized.
According to statistics posted on the animal shelters Facebook page, Cevering says within the month of July, there were 106 cats brought in from Bingham County, the city of Blackfoot and Shelley.
Eighty-one cats were euthanized, 13 cats were adopted and two cats were transferred to another rescue.
Sometimes, there is a misconception about the reasons behind euthanizing. For example, there is not enough space in shelters.
Cevering says that is never a reason why they euthanize in Blackfoot. It actually has to do with diseases that cats bring in and can spread among the shelter.
“Unfortunately, the decision lies with us and cats get diseases very quickly. We really don’t have a choice if a feral cat comes in sick and you can’t touch it, well it’s going to be put down,” she said.
In another Facebook post from the shelter, it said that “farmers and ranchers want cats that can have babies, then they overpopulate until people trap and bring them in. PLEASE SPAY AND NEUTER!!!!!”
According to the Humane Society of the United States, spayed and neutered animals actually live longer than their non-neutered peers. The reduced lifespan of pets who are not spayed or neutered can be partly attributed to an increased urge to roam. This exposes them to fights with other animals resulting in injuries and infections, to trauma from vehicle strikes and to other accidental mishaps.
Cevering explained the cats that come into their shelter have three different rooms.
“We have an initial quarantine room where they come into. Once they come in, they are given shots immediately as long as we can handle them. If they are wild and aggressive, they are euthanized right away,” she said. “So cats are kept in a quarantine room for about seven days and then they are moved into the next quarantine room where they are held for two weeks until they get their second shot and then they are spayed and neutered and then they move into our cat house.”
The Blackfoot Animal Shelter and Rescue can support about 50 cats.
Cevering said their shelter has tried a trap, neuter, and release type of program repeatedly with cats. It’s a program where feral cats are trapped, spayed or neutered, and then released. The program tries to help keep cats healthy and keep the population from multiplying.
Click here to learn more about spaying and neutering animals from the Humane Society of the United States.
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