KINGSVILLE — Diane Carr is feeling defeated.
Carr, board president of the Ashtabula County Animal Protective League, announced in late July that the shelter would begin euthanizing cats for space amid a feline population crisis. The shelter found homes for 94 cats in less than two weeks by reducing the adoption fee to just $5 per cat.
“Here we are, just a month later, back in the same situation, with 75 cats that must be adopted this week,” Carr said.
Carr said the reasons for the cat overpopulation are the same: Sluggish cat adoptions and the burden of several large-number intakes filled the once-empty cages with furry faces and twitchy tails.
“We are back to over capacity. It is like a problem we can’t seem to solve, but we just won’t stop trying,” she said.
The board has a ceiling of 70 cats in the shelter at any given time, Carr said. That means the APL shelter must adopt out 75 cats by Sunday.
To help the shelter bring the number of cats under control within two weeks, the APL is selling cats for $20 each, which includes spaying or neutering and vaccinations. Every adoptable cat and kitten is included in the sale.
“We just couldn’t do the $5 sale again,” Carr said. “The shelter spends as much as $100 on each cat in preparation for adoption. We have to have the money to spay and neuter the next round of cats, so the sale price is $20 per cat.”
Carr said 75 cats are immediately available for adoption and the APL board will re-evaluate the cat population on Monday and decide what to do with the remaining cats.
“We are not discussing the alternative to adoption at this point,” Carr said. “But we will do our best this week to place these cats and then have that discussion.”
The APL shelter, located at 5970 Green Road, is open 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Friday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The shelter is closed Wednesdays and Sundays.
The APL Mall Adoption Center is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Saturday at the Ashtabula Mall.
For more information on the shelter or a specific animal, call (440) 224-1222. The shelter animals are also listed with pictures at http://ashtabulaapl.petfinder.org.
Local News
Again overcrowded, APL offering fixed cats for $20
- Local News
-
-
Six ready to interview for Buckeye’s super job
The Buckeye Local Board of Education will conduct interviews with six superintendent hopefuls next week, said Board President Jacqueline Hillyer.
-
Shooting suspect to be tried as adult
A 17-year-old will be tried as an adult in the school shooting deaths of three students, a juvenile court judge ruled Thursday after hearing a sheriff’s deputy describe how the teen wore a T-shirt with the word “Killer” and admitted shooting people.
-
Ohio EPA takes AIM at site of hazardous wastes
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency staff members returned this week to the site of the now-bankrupt Ashtabula Iron and Metal on West 30th Street to take samples of the unknown liquids and analyze hazardous wastes, asbestos and other potential health and environmental concerns.
-
Commissioners look at selling nursing beds
Commissioners have retained the services of a law firm that specializes in the sale of excess nursing home beds as the board looks at ways to raise additional revenues.
-
Conneaut looks at demolition funds
The city is making preparations to secure its share of nearly $692,000 in demolition funds expected to be Ashtabula County’s portion of a multi-billion dollar settlement with national mortgage lenders.
-
Volunteers get more help than needed at rescue spot
Despite their good intentions, Edward and Mary proved more hindrance than help to the Conneaut KeyBank employees lending a helping hand Thursday to a farm animal rescue operation in Kingsville Township.
-
220 graduate at Lakeside
Thursday night was a time of pomp, circumstance and smiles as 220 seniors graduated from Lakeside High School.
-
Lost money?
There is no map, and “X” may not mark the spot, but hundreds of Ashtabula County residents may have unclaimed cash ready and waiting for them through the Ohio Department of Commerce.
-
Lane to be tried as adult in Chardon High shooting
A 17-year-old boy will be tried as an adult in the school shooting deaths of three students, a juvenile court judge ruled Thursday.
-
Happy Hearts School holds commencement for its Class of 2012
As commencement exercises go in Ashtabula County, the one at Happy Hearts School was small, with just five students.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Six ready to interview for Buckeye’s super job

