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After Unusually Long Breeding Season, Shelter Filled To Capacity With Cats

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Since the new Baltimore County animal shelter opened late last year, the percentage of cats successfully adopted has increased.

But now, an unusually long breeding season means the number of strays being turned in has filled the shelter to capacity.

The shelter will have cats to adopt at the Fallfest at the Towson Courthouse Friday, and at BARCStoberfest at Patterson Park on Saturday.

Meanwhile, 104 felines are waiting in cages for someone to choose them.

Dr. Melissa Jones, the county's Chief of Animal Services, says the typical spring and summer population increase has extended into fall.

"This year for some reason we have a warm spell going on and we still have cats and kittens available for adoption in pretty high numbers."

Other local shelters are reporting a similar trend.

While they would like to see every cat adopted out, the new shelter is public, which means they take in any cat off the street, and some have to be euthanized.

Publicly available figures show that the difference between when this shelter is full and when it's not, on average, means one additional cat per day has to be put down.

"When we're at capacity, it means we don't have any more cages for any additional cats to come in... so what we don't want to happen is make life or death decisions if more cats come in and we don't have cages for them."

And that's where you come in. Until the end of the month, all adoptions will be free -- which includes chipping, vaccinations, spaying and neutering and licensing.

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