HELENA — Hundreds of kittens may sound like a dream come true for a lot of people, but that is what the Lewis and Clark Humane Society is dealing with this year, and it’s putting a lot of strain on the shelter.
So far this year, more than 220 kittens have come through the shelter’s doors. Humane society staff say most of those kittens have come in over the past couple of months, and they do not expect things to slow down until into the fall.
While kittens are adorable, they are a lot of work for shelter staff to care for, especially new born kittens.
“We’ve seen a lot of bottle babies, which we’re not used to taking on,” LCHS animal services manager Katie Axline-Pittman said.
That’s where foster families come in. They can provide kittens the attention they need to grow and thrive, care that is especially important when kittens are young.
“Those first few weeks of life, it’s just making sure they’re warm and fed,” Axline-Pittman said. “You just let the kitten lead the routine.”
Fostering animals also frees up space at the shelter for more animals.
“It helps us do our mission and helps us safe lives,” Axline-Pittman said. “Without foster parents, we’d have to be turning away these kittens and they’d be in a really rough spot without us and our fosters. I think it’s imperative—foster care just allows us to help the community and help these guys who need us the most.”
LCHS provides foster families with what they need to care for kittens, and any other animals in foster care—like food, supplies and medical checkups.
Along with fostering there are plenty of other ways to help out LCHS, check out their website for information.
