How Long Does It Take to Find a Forever Home?

I was back at the Shelter this week and met a lot of new animals.  I did not have a chance to get all the way to the back to see all the animals this week as the cats were very demanding of my time.  Each cat (kittens too) meowed very loudly for me to take their photo and give each of them cuddle time.  Even the less-than-social ones.  Two of them tried to take advantage of the opportunity to escape.   What they didn’t know is that I am a seasoned cat-person.  I was too quick for them!  (They couldn’t tell that about me because I smelled like the dogs. I had been hanging out with the dogs before I entered the cat room.)  

 Of the fifteen animals I photographed this week, one is going home with an employee until a rescuer comes for her.  Three have no searchable information.  Three have been at the shelter less than a week.  Three have been at the Shelter for less than two weeks.  Two have been at the Shelter for less than a month, but more than two weeks.  And three have been at the Shelter for more than a month.

Shadow (70025) playing hide-n-seek

Of the three that have been at the Shelter for more than a month, two were surrenders.  Shadow was surrendered because he does not get along with other cats.  Shadow was one of the unsociable cats.   He did just fine with me, but he wasn’t happy when he realized there were other cats in the same room as him.  That’s when the hissing started.  He let me easily put him back in his pad.  I’ll blog more about the surrendered animals tomorrow.  Shadow has a good picture on the Shelter's webpage.  I'm including pictures of him playing here.

Shadow plays with the sting of my dressing gown. 
My attempt to cox him out of his temporary home.

It seems like there is a good turn-over of the animals.  Every time I’ve been to the Shelter, there have been empty kennels.  I’ve seen a lot of animals come in and yesterday I even got to see one go out.  Since starting this class I’ve seen that two animals I’ve posted about have been adopted.  The puppies seem to go the quickest.  The kittens go fairly quickly as well, but sometimes people get a little scared thinking the kittens are too young.  If the kittens have already been separated from their mother, it’s important they find a new home as quick as possible.  The same is true for the puppies.  I don't photograph or blog about the puppies or kittens as they usually have a quick turn-over.  I’ve observed that the older the animal is, the longer it takes to get adopted.   Everyone has their own “ideal” for a good adoptable age.   I just ask that you keep your heart open and ignore the age of the animal.  They all need good homes, despite their age.  The ones that have been there the longest are the neediest for a good forever home.   Please consider them on your next visit.