Ribbon-Cutting Held For AWL’s Cat HousePIERCETON – The Animal Welfare League’s Cat House is open and housing cats brought to the shelter.
The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Cat House Thursday. AWL Executive Director Tonya Blanchard said a grand opening will be June 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Cat House is housing over 70 cats and kittens.
In 2022, the AWL saw a 28.3% increase in pet intakes, totaling 1,664 pets. That is 367 more pets than they took in 2021, according to provided information. Total expenses for animal care in 2022 was $92,540.42.
On Thursday, Board of Directors President John Lantz said the AWL has been working on The Cat House for a little over two years. Cost to renovate the building on the AWL campus was about $200,00, which came from donations and American Rescue Plan Act funds from the county. According to a May 25 Times-Union article, the Kosciusko County Commissioners approved the use of $68,460 in ARPA funds to help.
Blanchard said the AWL is at capacity as far as animals.
One of the issues the shelter sees with kittens is people bringing in kittens born to stray cats too soon and without their mothers. She said bringing in newborn kittens without their mothers before 7 weeks significantly reduces the kitten’s survival rate. She suggested if people are to bring in stray kittens, to bring them in with their mothers.
Lantz said The Cat House will help the cats AWL has because they are away from the barking dogs and the cats are less stressed due to that. It’s not healthy for the cats to be stressed out, he said.
Blanchard said there is an area where cats can wonder and people can read to the cats, some isolation rooms and an area where adoptions are handled.
Blanchard said, besides The Cat House, cats will continue to be housed in the silo in the main AWL building.
Blanchard said if someone wants to take a look at the cats for potential foster or adoption, they can call the AWL at 574-267-3008 to schedule an appointment.
