You turn to TAILS when you find a stray pet because we are the leader in adoptions in DeKalb County and a leader in animal sheltering practices. TAILS accepts cats, kittens, dogs, puppies and little animals when we have the space to properly care for them. Some days, we regret that we can’t take animals because TAILS is filled and we don’t have a place for the animal you have. TAILS does not euthanize pets we have in order to take in more pets.

Turning away an animal in need is extremely difficult for all of us at TAILS, but most of all on the staff who are so dedicated to animal welfare.

Our problem is usually with cats and kittens. “Kitty Season” is the time of year, usually beginning in May and continuing through November or December, depending on the weather. During this time, TAILS is asked to accept 20 or more cats/kittens each day but only average 2-3 cat/kitten adoptions a day. You can see how TAILS quickly becomes full and we routinely care for over 160 cats/kittens at TAILS during this time, twenty cats/kittens above our usual capacity.

When people bring cats and kittens to TAILS hoping to leave them and we have a full house, we have philosophically chosen the option to turn away the animals rather than euthanize cats we have in order to make space for new ones.

When TAILS is operating at optimum feline levels, you can be confident that the cat or kitten you adopt from TAILS is in good health, spayed/neutered, and well socialized---ready to become a member of your family.

What you can do…

---Become a part of the solution of the tragedy of cat overpopulation by spaying or neutering your cat. Of course that doesn’t help you now when you’re struggling to find a place for kittens. The parents are probably still in the community and reproducing several more litters. Unfortunately, there is no high-volume spay/neuter clinic in our area but you can have the animals spayed/neutered at your own expense or you can contact an organization called Fixin’ Feral Felines. This local not-for-profit group traps, spay/neuters and then returns feral cats to their original location. A tax-deductible contribution is appreciated if you use their services. You can reach them at 815-756-9330 or www.fixinferalfelines@yahoo.com. TAILS does offer a low-cost spay/neuter service for the pets of people who have low incomes.

Why can’t TAILS take just one more cat/kitten?

Health & Well-being:

---Shelters are inherently stressful places for their animal residents. Even though we do everything we can to reduce the stress for the animals here at TAILS, we can’t provide the type of care they would receive in a home, and that’s stressful.

---We know that we can appropriately care for about 140 cats and kittens in this facility. Significantly more than that places too much stress on the staff and volunteers as well as additional stress on the animals in our care.

---Just as with people, stress is directly related to disease outbreaks. Stressed animals are more likely to succumb to diseases than their unstressed counter-parts, especially in overcrowded shelters. Common diseases like upper respiratory infections spread easily from cat to cat.

Staff and Budget

Like any business, church, or even a family, TAILS operates on a budget driven by income. In our case, this means donations and charitable gifts. Staff is our singly largest expense and our valuable resource. When the population of cats and kittens rises above 140 felines, our staff can’t keep up, even with volunteer assistance.

During normal times…

TAILS comfortably handles 140 cats and kittens. You don’t see all of them because many are behind the scenes, receiving medical care if needed, nursing or preparing to give birth, or under observation for behavior or health issues that could affect their adoptability and the other animals we have at TAILS.

The solution for cat over-population is a long-term one and involves educating the public about the importance of spaying/neutering pets so not as many unwanted animals are born. Unfortunately, these initiatives take time.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that one fertile femal cat can typically produce 3 litters a year with 3-6 kittens per litter. In theory, that cat and her offspring could produce 420,000 cats in only 7 years!