51 Colleton animals prepare for new lives in New Jersey

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With just a few hours notice, staff and volunteers of the Colleton County Animal Shelter rallied to prepare for a long trip.
Animals were needed for a large adoption event in New Jersey.
Shelter employees quickly began to make plans and schedules. No flights were available, so the staff had to change plans to drive in a caravan for 10 hours. Staff had to be called in, and foster parents had to bring in their pets to be ready to travel.
Making the trip were 33 kittens and 18 dogs. Three crates contained the “Fabulous Five” as the kittens were affectionately called. Captured as feral kittens, they were vicious and intolerant of humans. Through rehabilitation, they have become loving pets and completely adoptable thanks to the efforts of Shannon Myers.
“So many assisted us in this effort,” said Laura Clark, shelter manager. “People involved were Shelley Thomas our adoption/rescue coordinator; Shannon Myers; Kim Fox, animal foster; Chris Hansen, volunteer who helped us get them into 15 carriers with bedding and labels; and two drivers from East Coast Paws and Claws. They are a rescue and do their own transporting from here to there and were willing to take some of animals to 3 other organizations on the way back home.”
“We were able to send off these kittens and puppies as well as a few adult cats and dogs, but this just makes room for the ones that have been waiting for space,” said Laura Clark, director of the shelter. “Unfortunately, we have a waiting list of people wanting to turn in or drop off adult cats. We can only fit one adult cat in a cage, where three kittens can normally stay. We need more people to adopt adult cats. There are wonderful for keeping pests out of your yard, including venomous snakes,” she added. “But they are loving companions and perfect house pets.”
Clark went on to say that since June 1st, Colleton County Animal Shelter has taken in 193 kittens under the age of 5 months. This influx of kittens who often need significantly more care than adult cats, is a huge burden on the system. “We currently have 55 cat cages so having volunteer foster families is the only way we are able to avoid euthanizing healthy animals for space. We currently have a waiting list of people who have cats and their kittens that they are asking to surrender to the shelter,” Clark said.

Unfortunately, most of this could be prevented.
Effective spay/neuter programs are the way out of this. Currently Colleton residents have several great programs to have their cats fixed and to help free roaming cats in their area,
1) Friends of Colleton County Animal Shelter has a low cost program that is administered through SNAC in Okatie, SC. Residents can call 843 645 8500 to make an appointment. Pet Female pet cats can be spayed for $25 and male pet cats can be neutered for $15. Feral cats brought in a trap can be tested, vaccinated and spay/neutered for $10.
2) Friends of Colleton County Animal Shelter offers a $25 voucher that can be used at Walterboro Animal Hospital, Morrison Vet Clinic, Deloach Animal Clinic and Hampton Animal Hospital. Residents can pick up a voucher from the shelter at 33 Poor Farm Rd in Walterboro. The voucher is given to the clinic at the time of payment and $25 is deducted from the surgery cost and billed to FoCCAS.
3) Residents may borrow humane cat traps from the Animal Shelter to trap cats and have them altered and then release them.
The Animal Shelter still has many adorable kittens and cats who need a home. Adoption fee for cats is $35 thanks to a generous donor and working cats can be adopted for $25. All cats are tested for Felv/Fiv, vaccinated, microchipped and altered.
Donations are constantly needed and appreciated. The shelter tries to maintain a ‘no kill’ policy, but it isn’t always easy.
To adopt an animal from the shelter or make a donation, go to their website at https://www.colletoncounty.org/animal-shelter-1, or www.foccas-sc.org.