The discussion of animals in shelters usually leads to talking about dogs without homes. While of course the struggles dogs face in shelters are incredibly important they are not the only shelter animals in need of help. Cats need just as much help as dogs do when it comes to shelters and in some cases face worse circumstances, such as the dilemma of shelter euthanasia.

The challenges facing animals in shelters are unfortunately so numerous there is no shortage of topics to discuss. On our blog we have discussed multiple issues that shelter animals must contend with but usually they have been relating to dogs. Oftentimes cats have similar rates of shelter adoption to dogs and there are a similar amount of cats and dogs in shelters. However, cats also face their fair share of hardships when it comes to the shelter system. Cats, especially strays, are more likely to be euthanized when taken into shelters.

The reason cats often have higher euthanasia rates than dogs in shelters is because of the fact that they are less often found with ways of identifying their owner. This means the shelters have to hold on to these cats if their owners don’t come to claim them and they can’t find them a new home. As many shelters are already struggling with being at maximum capacity this oftentimes forces them to make difficult decisions such as euthanizing animals that haven’t been able to find a home. Due to cats not being able to reunite with their owners as often as dogs are, their shelter space fills up quicker and thus more are euthanized.

What can be done to combat this? The immediate solution to start saving lives now is to get as many cats adopted as possible. Of course, this is much easier said than done. A big issue with finding suitable adopters for animals is location and getting the word out to the right people. A potential owner may be ready and willing to adopt a new pet but they could be located too far to be able to practically have a way of adopting said animal. Alternatively, an adopter may be touched by an animal or feel a connection, but that animal might require medical procedures the adopter can’t afford. If these challenges that reduce the amount of would-be adopters could be remedied, more cats could be taken out of shelters, and less would be euthanized.

The good news is, Frost Fund exists to combat these issues and save the lives of the animals affected. For example, this past week Frost Fund was able to facilitate and pay for the safe transfer of seven shelter cats from Riverside, California to Boulder, Colorado. The shelter that they were originally at in Riverside is a high kill shelter due to the amount of animals that come into the shelter overwhelming their resources. However, the shelter in Boulder they were sent to has much more availability to care for incoming animals and has a high adoption rate so finding these cats new homes should not be a problem.

Simply,but not easily, by moving these cats from one shelter to another their lives were able to be saved and now they will have the opportunity to change the lives of their new families. Situations like this face animals in shelters all across the country, with solutions existing but oftentimes not having the right people with the right resources to carry them out. Fortunately, Frost Fund is able to save these animals and give them a second chance at life due to the generous contributions of our supporters. If you would like to help us to continue to advocate and provide opportunities for animals in need, consider making a donation via one of the options below, it is greatly appreciated.

• Zelle: teamfrostfund@gmail.com (Preferred because it doesn’t charge us service fees to withdraw.)
• Venmo: @frost_fund