By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Just as fast as the St. Joseph animal shelter is getting pets adopted, the pens are filling back up again with cats and dogs.
So once again, Friends of the Animal Shelter is helping out with another adoption drive.
Friends of the Animal Shelters Melanie Barnes says this one is going to be themed for the Halloween season.
"It's the Adoption Spooktacular so we're going Halloween themed, Halloween is right around the corner and it's kind of frightening how many pets are down at the shelter and available," Barnes tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "So, if you guys are thinking about adding one to your home, there's many, many pets down at the shelter looking for their forever homes through the adoption spooktacular."
Barnes says while pets are getting adopted, it feels like as fast as they get adopted the shelters fill back up again.
"We have, I feel like as a member of Friends of the Animal Shelter, been running special, after special, financial incentives, education around adopting pets to try to get pets in their forever homes, and I feel like it's an uphill battle," Barnes says.
Barnes says though Friends of the Animal Shelter has received much support from the community in their efforts to get more pets adopted.
Barnes says while she's not for sure why kennels all over the world are overflowing with pets, she has an idea of some of the reasons.
" Definitely people going back to work is one, two inflation costs are going up, availability to veterinary care is becoming more and more challenging because of the increased number of pets in homes," Barnes explains. "So, a combination of higher prices and harder to get in care, I do wonder if the spay and neuter rate has gone down, so now we have more, potentially more, puppies' kittens that are adults now."
Friends of the Animal Shelter is currently holding an Adoption Spooktacular event through tomorrow. Adoption cost on all pets is $25.