To make a donation or adopt a pet, you can stop by the Madera County Animal Shelter at 14269 Road 28 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a. m. to 2 p. m. on Saturday.
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It's not just raining cats and dogs at the Madera County Animal Shelter ... staff members say it's flooding.
Taundie Ferguson/Madera Co. Animal Control Officer Assistant: "We've got so many animals. They come in every day and they just keep coming and it doesn't stop."
The shelter is getting about 30 to 40 animals a day and averaging one to two hundred more a month than this time last year. Director Kirsten Gross says more owners are dropping off their pets after losing their homes to foreclosure or because they simply can't afford to keep them in this tough economy. But now the shelter is facing its own shortfall.
Kirsten Gross/Madera Co. Animal Shelter Director: "Because the state is in such a crisis, the counties have pretty much been cut off from a lot of funding. So as a department head, we're obligated to cut all the corners we can."
That includes reducing spending on some food and supplies. And that's why the shelter is asking the public for help.
Gross: "The things we really look for are puppy food and kitten food. Canned dog and cat food is very handy. We medicate the animals with that and it helps us save lives."
Staff members are also asking for milk replacer to feed abandoned newborns and blankets, towels, and even newspapers to line the bottoms of cages. Extra toys and monetary donations are also welcome gifts. But above all else, the pets are jumping at the chance to find new homes for the holidays.
Ferguson: "They're just such good pets and nobody wants them. It's just really heartbreaking."
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