KINGWOOD — Sometimes love comes with four paws and a tail.
The Preston County Animal Shelter (PCAS) recently held a cat adoption at Tractor Supply in Kingwood. Shelter mascots Preston the Dog (Preston Dog Warden Cameron Radabaugh in a dog suit) and County the Cat (Annette Calvert) were on hand to help find forever homes for the adult cat and five kittens that were available for adoption.
According to Radabaugh, 339 pets were adopted last year through the shelter. This year, to date, 139 have been adopted.
Preston County Administrator Kathy Mace said the county received a $5,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant for spaying and neutering. She said this was the first year the grant was offered. Mace said the county also received a private donation to match the grant. Money from the donation can only be used for spaying and neutering cats.
Mace said, so far, money from the grant and donations have paid for 30 cats and 20 dogs to be spayed or neutered.
Alix Evans, spay and neuter coordinator for the Preston County Humane Society (PCHS), said 141 pets have been spayed or neutered this year using its program. Evans was on hand at Tractor Supply to hand out spay and neuter applications.
The PCHS promotes responsible, humane animal care, educates the public about the problem of pet overpopulation, assists qualified applicants with the cost of spaying and neutering, provides emergency pet food, offers limited emergency assistance for sick and injured animals, and sponsors elementary school classroom subscriptions to “Kind News,” a publication that teaches concepts like compassion, respect and responsibility.
“The home office provides adoption kits for the once a month adoptions held at our store,” Paul Chipps, store manager at Kingwood Tractor Supply, said. The store also provides free collars, leashes and toys for the adoption events held there.
“We will be resetting our pet food soon and we will donate what we are not going to forward to the shelter,” Chipps said.
From January through June the Preston Shelter has taken in 125 dogs, 28 puppies, 33 cats, 45 kittens, four ducks and one iguana. That includes 126 strays, 96 owner relinquished pets, seven seized pets and seven transfers from other shelters.
For spay and neuter information or to adopt a pet from the shelter, call 304- 329-3461. Adoption days are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
The shelter is closed to the public Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. However, there is staff on site to care for the animals — even on holidays.
The Humane Society spay/neuter director can be contacted at 304-329-3644. To report animal neglect, abuse or cruelty call the Preston County Sheriff’s Office at 304-329-1611.
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