The calm before the storm

If you have been to the shelter in the last 2 or 3 weeks you may have noticed that things were well, a bit empty. This isn't by accident. Late winter/early spring is our time to prepare. We work hard to get as many animals adopted as possible. We clean, clean and clean again. We start to stockpile supplies. If you've never worked in animal rescue, it is difficult to understand what we're preparing for. We're preparing for a storm that lasts for months. A whirlwind of puppies and kittens that zaps our monetary and emotional resources, that fills our shelter and our few precious foster homes. So we treasure those few weeks of late winter.. because before you know it

There's a box of 10 Pit Bulls puppies outside the front door in the morning

A laundry basket full of terriers in the parking lot

And litters of kittens seem to spontaneously generate

So we take these last few days to take a big breath.. and wait for that first wave to come through our doors. And all we can do is hope that this year's efforts to educate the public on the importance of fixing their pets will make the season a little less crazy.