A high percentage of adoptable animals were adopted from the St. Joseph Animal Shelter last year.

Animal Control and Rescue Humane Educator Jennifer Lockwood said 99-percent of adoptable dogs were adopted last year, down from 100-percent in 2017. Last year, 88-percent of cats were adopted, down from 95-percent in 2017.

Lockwood said dog intake has remained steady over the past few years and cat intake has increased.

“Being a municipal shelter we have to take everything that does come to our front door,” Lockwood said. “2015 compared to 2018, our dog intake has increased some, remained pretty steady in the 1300s. Cat intake has increased from around 1200 to about 1400.”

Lockwood said adoptions for cats have also increased over the past few years. Lockwood said things such as the “catio” at the shelter built within the past couple years have helped with giving the cats more space to roam and being a place for potential adopters to see the cats.

Lockwood said one of the reasons for the increase of animals coming into the animal shelter is overpopulation.

“Not spaying and neutering cats and dogs is a big thing, unwanted litters of puppies and kittens in the spring,” Lockwood said. “Last year, we took 197 cats in, just in the month of May. A lot of that comes from unwanted litters of kittens and puppies and there are programs out there to spay and neuter, so that is a really important thing you can do, for not only your pet, but the community as well.”

For more information about pet adoption or the fundraising effort for a new animal shelter, click here or visit the Friends of the Animal Shelter of St. Joseph Facebook page.