BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — It appears the pet adoption boom during the pandemic may have come to an end.
A national database found adoptions dropped by 4% in the first six months of 2024 compared to a year ago. A WNY rescue agency says more and more people are abandoning their pets and they're overwhelmed.
On a rainy Tuesday morning in Blasdell, Claudia Catalano was doing something that was very difficult for her to do, she was dropping off two kittens she had grown to love because she said she could no longer take care of them.
"If I didn't have so many cats at home...in fact in the last two years we have taken in six cats and there's just no more room at the Catallano house," she told me as she said goodbye to the kittens, "Boo" and "Romeo."
Claudia made an appointment before bringing in the kittens but Kimberly LaRussa at Ten Lives Clubs said that wasn't the case a few days ago.
"The other day there were kittens left in a crate outside our Depew adoption location and it was at 10 o'clock at night and that location's closed," LaRussa said.
Thankfully a good Samaritan found the animals and took care of them until the shelter opened the next day.
"Good thing for that Samaritan because otherwise who knows what could have happened to the kittens," she said.
Ten Lives Club said too many people are abandoning their pets and rescue organizations are overwhelmed.
Charlene Rizzo is a volunteer at Ten Lives Club currently taking care of several kittens.
"These six kittens and their mom were found in Lackawanna," said Rizzo. "The family brought them in in a cardboard box. I'm fostering them now. They're in a loving foster home."
She said the kittens will be vaccinated, microchipped, checked and treated for things like ear mites, fleas and ringworm, and spayed and neutered before they're available for adoption.
Meanwhile, LaRussa is happy to share that the kittens who were left on their doorstep are now in a home and doing well. She said if you want to drop off a pet, call ahead and make an appointment.
Ten Lives Club said it saves at least 3,000 cats a year. Adoption cost ranges from $95 to $195. For more information head to https://www.tenlivesclub.com/
