Arlington — There are more than 100 cats and kittens currently at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington or in foster care and approximately 200 more are expected to arrive throughout the summer. The adult cat adoption fee is normally $100, but AWLA is extending a special promotion through the end of August — “Three Name Your Fee.” Folks who adopt cats 3 years old and over not only can name their price, but their adoption fee will also include: a certificate for a free exam with a participating veterinarian, spay or neuter surgery, a feline leukemia and feline AIDS test, a distemper vaccination, a personalized I.D. tag, a microchip, an information packet and an emergency sticker.
“Each spring during kitten season, dozens of newborn kittens join nearly 100 cats already in our shelter. If you have been thinking about adding a feline to your family, we have a wide variety of cats and kittens in all sizes, shapes, colors and temperaments,” said Neil Trent, president and CEO, AWLA.
Many of the kittens come from AWLA’s Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program. TNR is a method of humanely trapping unaltered feral cats, spaying or neutering them and releasing them back to the same location where they were collected. Kittens from feral populations, if caught early enough, can often be rehabilitated for adoption.
“We believe that supporting TNR efforts in Arlington County may reduce the number of kitten intakes and that supporting these efforts is consistent with our work as a progressive humane organization,” said Trent. “In fiscal 2012, AWLA spayed or neutered 140 feral cats, thereby potentially preventing nearly a thousand feral kittens from being born.”
AWLA often receives kittens through the TNR program that are too young for adoption and need to be placed in a foster home through AWLA’s foster program, until they reach 8 weeks of age — at which time, they are considered adoptable.
“Our greatest need right now is for fosters who can help to take care of these kittens for a few weeks until they are old enough to be adopted,” said Sara Emery, foster care coordinator. “We have a specific need for fosters for kittens who need to be fed every three to four hours around the clock, so retirees, people who work from home or graduate students are in especially high demand.”
AWLA provides foster training and covers all expenses associated with caring for a foster animal, including feeding and medical expenses.
“Our foster volunteers help give a second chance to two animals — the animal they foster and a homeless animal that can be sheltered because of the space they helped to create,” said Emery.
To learn about AWLA’s foster program and to view adoptable cats or learn more about AWLA’s diverse selection of other companion animals including dogs, rabbits, birds, and hamsters, download the free Arlington Pets App or visit www.awla.org.