Humane Society Silicon Valley Gears Up for Kitten Season; Dozens of Kittens Already Being Brought to Shelter.

News Editors

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 27, 2004

Kitten season at the Humane Society Silicon Valley has come early this year. Kitten season typically begins in May and lasts through October, but in early April, dozens of kittens were already being brought to the Santa Clara shelter.

"It's going to be another busy season," said Beth Ward, vice president of Animal Care for HSSV.

The shelter is preparing its staff so they can respond to the influx of kittens expected to hit the shelter in full force in the coming weeks. Two-thirds of the 27,000 animals brought to the shelter last year came during this six-month period. During the height of the kitten season last year, the shelter took in 1,600 cats and kittens in August alone.

The daily onslaught of kittens, many of which have to be euthanized because they are dying or very ill, can take an emotional toll on staff and the public who bring them to the shelter hoping they can be saved.

"We are training our staff to be very compassionate with the public but also to be very honest with them about a kitten's chances of survival and possible adoption," Ward said.

To prepare for kitten season, HSSV is:

-- Providing a designated Kitten Manager to direct and facilitate

the flow of kittens through the shelter.

-- Hiring and training additional employees to help handle the

influx of kittens.

-- Holding refresher courses for volunteers who have previously

fostered kittens. If you would like information on becoming a

foster parent, please visit our website at:

http://www.hssv.org/you_can_help/volunteer/positions/foster.htm,

or call our volunteer information line at 408-727-3383, ext.

742.

-- Providing "Kitten Kits" for people who want to care for

kittens until they are ready to be brought to the shelter for

possible adoption. The $20 kitten kits, which contain formula,

bottles and instructions on how to care for unweaned kittens,

will be available at HSSV's AlphaPet Supply Store.

"Our goal is to be as prepared as possible," Ward said.

Cats are seasonal breeders and every spring and summer, thousands of the fury felines are brought to the Santa Clara facility, as many as 100 per day. Many are too young (under eight weeks) or not healthy enough to be immediately adopted.

This is where HSSV's foster care program helps out. In order to qualify for fostering, kittens must test negative for FELV (feline leukemia), must be able to eat solids or if still nursing, be with their mother. Volunteer foster parents provide a temporary home for kittens until they are eight weeks old or weigh 2 pounds, and are socialized with humans. Upon their return to the shelter, kittens are evaluated for adoption and spay/neuter. Throughout the year, volunteers foster cats and dogs that need a little extra TLC before adoption. In 2003, 851 animals went through HSSV's foster care program.

But Ward says simply finding more foster homes does not solve the kitten/cat overpopulation problem.

"It's a band-aid solution," Ward said. "Once those foster kittens are ready to return to the shelter for adoption, we need to make sure we have room to house them and can find them permanent, loving homes."

A breeding pair of cats can produce some 420,000 offspring over a seven-year period. In the U.S., six to eight million animals are euthanized each year simply because there are not enough good homes for them. In the Bay Area alone, 50,000 animals were euthanized in 2003.

As part of its long-term solution to reduce pet overpopulation and unnecessary pet euthanasia, HSSV has a comprehensive program of affordable spay/neuter and vaccinations. In February, the shelter joined forces with local veterinarians to discount their spay/neuter services to encourage the public to alter their pets. More than 1,400 dogs, cats and rabbits were altered in February alone.

"Spaying and neutering pets is the fastest way to help end pet overpopulation, reduce the needless suffering that homeless animals endure and save taxpayers money at the same time," Ward explained.

HSSV is also spearheading a new Homeless Cat Care Program, which provides information and resources to homeless and feral cat managers. The program will be funded by individual donations, foundations and grants and will promote the Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate and Return method of controlling homeless cat populations to achieve zero population growth. Studies have shown that trap-neuter-release is the single most successful method of stabilizing and maintaining healthy homeless/feral cats with the least possible cost to local governments and residents, while providing the best life for the animals themselves. More information on HSSV's homeless/feral cat program can be found at: http://www.hssv.org/resources/feralcats.htm.

About Humane Society Silicon Valley

Humane Society Silicon Valley was established in 1929 and has grown into one of the largest animal shelters on the West Coast, caring for nearly 27,000 animals a year. Since its inception, HSSV has adopted over 500,000 animals into permanent, loving homes! The agency has an "open door" shelter policy and accepts animals 24-hours a day, seven days a week. The agency's mission is to strengthen the bond between animals and humans. To fulfill this mission, HSSV has a comprehensive program of adoptions, animal care and services, education, and an affordable medical center for spaying, neutering and vaccinations. For more information about Humane Society Silicon Valley, please visit our website at www.hssv.org.