Humane Society running out of room
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The St. Joseph County Humane Society has received so many stray pets left out in the cold, they are running out of room for them all. Most of the cats they have received recently were found on the streets and taken there to be someplace warm.
"It's too cold outside for them to survive," said Genny Carlson, Outreach Coordinator for the St. Joseph County Humane Society.
Carlson says hundreds of cats and dogs have been left outside in the freezing weather.
"The cold is really hard on the animals. We are seeing animals come in really skinny because they can't find food, or really cold, or even deceased," said Carlson.
The sub-zero temperatures can be deadly to house pets.
The Humane Society is worried about outdoor cats.
"Cats are being found in garages, cats are being found in basements because they are trying to get out from the cold and trying to find somewhere warm," said Carlson.
Too many in Michiana aren't being taken care of properly.
"A lot of people put their cats outside or assume that they can find food or water on their own or maybe they move and they leave them behind or they just breed outside," said Carlson.
Right now there are hundreds waiting to be taken to a permanent home.
"Our animals wait in quarantine longer than we would like and we get more and more and more until we can get them adopted," said Carlson.
The Humane Society urges people to adopt pets. If you can't, at least make sure your cats are spayed or neutered.
If you see a pet out in the cold, contact the Humane Society.