Every cat or kitten up for adoption found a home, during the first day of a two-day adoptathon held by the Langley-based Canadian Animal Rescue and Extended Shelter (CARES) at the local PetSmart store on Saturday and Sunday, March 23 and 24.
CARES treasurer Clive Ellis, one of the volunteers on hand for the event, said by the second day, “we had no more kitties to adopt.”
He isn’t sure why, but the no-kill shelter has been seeing a lot of demand this year.
“We have had a phenomenal two or three months for adoptions,” Ellis estimated, averaging more than 40 placements a month.
“January, February, March is normally not a great period for adoptions, but for some reason spring has been really good,” Ellis told the Langley Advance Times.
“A lot of kitties have found good homes.”
One of those kittens was 12-week old Smarties, born at the shelter after 16 cats were surrendered, and one turned out to be pregnant.
CARES president Carol Briner said Smarties and his littermates, as well as his mother, all found homes.
“It’s wonderful,” Briner commented.
“That’s what we want to see – our kitties adopted out to new loving homes.”
Briner said the number of cats at the shelter was currently about 80, which is low for a shelter that can have as many as 150 during what she described as “high season,” when an “onslaught” of kittens arrives.
Smarties went home with Brookswood residents Joe Woykin and Katelin Hennessy.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so excited,” Hennessy said as Smarties snuggled in her arms.
“He’s so cute and fuzzy.”
Smarties will provide some companionship for Hennessy’s nine-year-old cat, Hunter.
“She [Hunter] grew up with other siblings, so I think she’s gonna be really excited to have a new little friend. She’s really used to being in a group, she’s not used to being an only cat.”
Woykin was also looking forward to Smarties joining their family.
”I’m excited. I was never a cat person until we moved in together and I met Hunter,” Woykin said.
A few days later, Hennessy reported Smarties was “doing great! He’s very happy exploring his new home and has so many favourite toys.”
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CARES started in 1993 to provide shelter for stray, abandoned, and unwanted cats, and has been working with the Langley PetSmart adoption centre since 1998.
Any animals that are not adopted are able to live the rest of their natural lives at the shelter.
March 18 - 24 was PetSmart Charities National Adoption Week.
READ ALSO: Email sparks soul-searching for head of Langley’s no-kill cat shelter
CARES is also looking for people to foster kittens in need.
“We provide all the essentials: food, supplies, and support,” an online appeal said.
“All we ask is for your love and care to help these precious babies thrive.”
To learn more, people can email Marian at mjhaney@shaw.ca.