Humane Society Kitten Shower Finds New Homes for 92 Cats
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It always seems as if dogs get all the attention when it comes to animal shelters, but that is not always the case. Cats need a home as well. There are many cats around the country who are in need of a home. In fact, they are deserving of a home. For cat lovers, this often tugs at their heartstrings. People who are looking for a pet often look to special cats that have been abandoned or are otherwise held in a shelter until a home is found for them. It is important to highlight cats who need a home, but this is not always easy to do. That is why it is up to create campaigns to draw attention to cats who are in need of loving owners. That is exactly what happened in Clarksville, Tennessee. An animal shelter there recently came up with the idea to host a kitten shower. The results were phenomenal and a new home was found for 92 cats in the area. Keep reading to learn more about how this story unfolded.
How it Happened
The Humane Society of Clarksville-Montgomery exists to take care of all kinds of animals, cats included. They had become troubled by just how many small cats were without a home and resolved to do something about it. While animal shelters often have prospective pet owners trickle in throughout any given month, this is nowhere the traffic and attention that is necessary to find homes for many cats at the same time. This is they came up with a unique idea to host a kitten shower. Instead of hosting the even at an animal shelter, they decided to host it at the Old Glory Distilling Company in the town of Clarksville. The even would be named the Kitten Shower and Gift Registry. This was a time for cat lovers to come together for a good cause, many of who would end up going home with a new member of the family.
The Event Itself
By the time that the kitten shower would take place, a total of 98 carts would be there to take part. This is a lot of cats by anybody’s standards. It spoke to the importance of what the Humane Society was trying to accomplish. We all know what eventually has to happen to cats who never find a home, and nobody wants that. This is why the Kitten Shower was such a welcome event throughout the community. It would be held on a Sunday afternoon and the turnout was amazing.
There was such a strong reception for what was taking place at the Kitten Shower and Gift Registry that 92 of the 98 cats at the event would end going to a new home by the end of the day. This was even more amazing given the fact that the event was held in the mid of a global pandemic. Everyone in attendance was required to wear a mask, yet it was obvious that there were all kinds of smiles taking place. These cats were adorable, and that resulted in many of them being adopted right on the spot.
The Human Society might have been the main sponsor of the event, but they were not the only nonprofit organization involved with the Kitten Shower. Other organizations that assisted in getting the word out and helping this event to go off without a hitch included the Companion Pet Rescue of Middle Tennessee, the APSU Paws to Care, Ron & Wendy’s Kitty Cat Adventures, and the Perfect Paws Rescue. Each of these groups deserves special recognition in helping so many cats that were previously without a home to end up being adopted.
This event was so well publicized that people came from all over the state to take part. An example was Aaron Clendening. He would make the trip from Nashville in an effort to bring home a cat for the family. This is their previous family cat had to be put down after 16 wonderful years for them. The family was ready for another pet and this kitten shower was a way to do exactly that and to make a difference for shelter animals at the same time.
Each person taking home a cat from this event would pay an adoption fee, but that was once again for a great cause. The fee would actually include a spay and neuter of the cat. It would also include such necessities as vaccines, a dewormer, a test for FIV/FeLV, and medication to aid in the prevention of fleas. People in attendance were also encouraged to donate money, cat food, litter supplies, and other types of pet supplies that could then be given to various animal rescue organizations located across the region.
Because these are different times, the health and safety of everyone in attendance were also taken into consideration. Each person who walked through the door was required to go through a temperature check. Masks were also mandatory and hand sanitizer was located throughout the building. People were encouraged to maintain social distancing, and this actually made it easier to spend time with cats that individual owners were interested in adopting.
Interestingly enough, this event could not have come at a better time. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Humane Society had to shut its door to possible adoptions for over three months. Many other rescue organizations were forced to do the same. At the same time, more and more cats were coming that needed a home. By the end of the three months, there was quite a backlog. This event ended up being most welcome in more ways that one. It really made a life altering difference in the lives of 92 cats on one Sunday afternoon.
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- Humane: © Shutterstock