Right now our Greenwood County Animal Shelter is crammed with kittens.  Not “overflowing with kittens,” because that would imply that there is a steady stream of kittens going out, as well as coming in.  No.  The Shelter is clogged up with kittens.  And it’s only three months into kitten and puppy season.  I usually don’t appreciate the tactic of pushing people’s emotions to get their attention, but every person must know the severity of the pet overpopulation problem locally.

More kittens and puppies were brought to the Shelter the past couple of weeks than the past couple of months combined.  Many people had to be turned away because there was no room in the facility for more animals.  The Humane Society received calls of complaint, but there was nothing that we could do.  When the “inn is full,” it’s full.  I was asked by one upset caller, “What am I supposed to do with these kittens?”  My reply was “That is a really good question.”

My frustration stems from the simple fact that people allow a cat or dog to have babies, but then want the responsibility of finding homes for them to fall into the hands of the Shelter or Humane Society.  Then, these same people become outraged when they discover the large numbers of animals that are euthanized at the Shelter.  There is no animal refuge in Greenwood County.  And until you spend time at the Shelter, you will not understand how big of a problem this has become.

Young animals have a reduced chance of survival in a Shelter environment.  Housing too many young animals in a confined space increases their stress and leads to sickness--parvovirus in puppies and upper respiratory infection in kittens.  Both can be and are fatal.  Sadly, euthanasia becomes the only solution.

A couple of months ago a pregnant cat gave birth to five kittens at the Shelter.  As weeks went by we enjoyed watching them stumble through the stages of kitty growth: opening their eyes, learning to walk, eating solid food, and eventually learning to play with their siblings.

Last week some of those kittens began sneezing.  Although we gave them antibiotics, their congestion severely worsened.  One of the kittens went to a foster home, only to die within 24 hours.  Two days later, another kitten suffocated to death because her lungs were so heavy with fluid build-up.  The next day a third kitten from that litter also began wheezing and having severe breathing problems.  We chose to have it euthanized rather than watch it suffocate like its brother.  I don’t know which was sadder--the fact that these kittens never experienced life outside of a cage or watching the mother cat grieve.  Shortly after the second kitten died, she climbed up to the window of her pen and cried out.  This went on for hours.

This is the dichotomy of having kittens and puppies in a shelter.  They are a huge source of joy and laughter.  Yet at any given time, you could be told that there are too many and some will have to go.  These animals are in our charge—our care.  Only about 12% will actually be adopted.  The rest will either die from illness or be put to death.  Is this something that Greenwood County citizens are willing to accept for the thrill or mistake of letting their pet have babies?

A month ago I asked the Shelter Director if I could view the euthanasia process.  I knew it was something that I would eventually have to learn about.  My hope was that it would be an older or very sick animal being put to sleep.  I figured that it would somehow be “easier” to view.

Choosing to approach this experience as a medical procedure, I entered the euthanasia room with no emotion.  The door of the pet carrier was opened and inside I saw a six-week-old black and white kitten.  It was crying.  Because of a respiratory infection, a discharge had dried and sealed its eyes shut.  Its body was covered in dried mud.  You can imagine what kind of life it had lived in six short weeks.

First the kitten was injected with a sedative, which stings, so it let out a cry.  Then it was placed back into the carrier, the whole while crying and clawing to get out.  I’m sure that not being able to see was terrifying enough to cause the crying.  As the procedure was being explained to me, my only thought was that this kitten was being killed.  It wasn’t something that I could mentally process.  Everything in me wanted to reach in, grab the kitten and run.  But I knew that it was too late.  I told myself, “You can’t save them all.”

Within a few minutes, the sedative took effect and the kitten was lying on the carrier floor.  The fatal dose was injected directly into its heart.  As the procedure was still being explained to me, the kitten just … died.

This letter is littered with photos of kittens.  Some were adopted.  Some were not.

I ask you the same question that was asked me, “What are we supposed to do with these kittens?”  If we don’t act responsibly and have our pets spayed or neutered, this problem will continue to get worse.  Please get your animals sterilized.  Please encourage your family and friends to do the same.  Only by each person attacking this problem with the seriousness it deserves, can we reduce the number of cats, dogs, puppies and kittens that are put to death each year in Greenwood.  Right now I’ve got to go meet with the Shelter Director.  An individual just turned in 19 kittens and we have to select which, if any, will live.

Karen Pettay