Animal adoption volunteers are experiencing a crisis. The number of kittens needing homes has reached 200, far above the normal level for animal adoptions. “There are approximately one hundred kittens at the animal shelter and one hundred being fostered at A-Pal by full-time volunteers,” said Susan Manning of the Feed Barn in Jackson, which, along with the Jackson Creek Veterinary Clinic, is one of two businesses caring for the young felines. A-Pal is AmadorCounty’s Humane Society, and has been caring for local animals for some 30 years. According to A-Pal staff, its shelter has gone from 80 percent of its animals killed in the 1980’s to 25 percent today, with a goal of zero adoptable pets killed.

The excessive amount of kittens has proven to be a unique challenge for all organizations involved. “Right now we have 10 cages of kittens, so we have about 30 kittens total at the Feed Barn,” said Manning. She went on to explain that the advantage to adopting one of these kittens as compared to a free kitten is that A-Pal has already spayed, neutered, and given the necessary shots. This practice insures population control and actually cuts the price it costs to buy the kitten because a free kitten would need these procedures anyway. Members of all organizations involved agree unanimously on the cause of the sudden spike in feline populations. In the words of Manning: “Spay and neuter your animals. It’s that simple.” For more information on kitten adoption or free animal spay and neuter clinics, contact A-Pal at 223-0410 or the Feed Barn at 223-2809.