MONROE, Conn. — UPDATE on March 10: All of the animals at the SPCA in Monroe will be finding a new place to stay after the shelter closes its doors for good in May. The shelter announced Wednesday that all of the animals will either be adopted or placed in other shelters.
The shelter garnered over 1,000 emails and phone calls regarding adoptions, and over 700 adoption applications were sent in.
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UPDATE on March 7: Several animals have been adopted since we reported this story on March 3. There are now 14 dogs and six cats left searching for forever homes, as of March 7.
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ORIGINAL: Time is running out for the SPCA of CT in Monroe; They will be closing for good in two months due to financial problems. Volunteers are now scrambling to find homes for over 30 cats and dogs.
"I lie awake at night thinking about them sometimes," said Kate Compton, a volunteer.
The shelter has been open for 20 years and they have always made it their mission to never leave a cat or dog behind by finding them forever homes.
"We are a no-kill shelter so we don’t get any funding from the state, so we solely depend on donations to run our everyday activities and taking care of the animals," said Linda Lapine, a volunteer.
So far, there are 20 dogs and 13 cats who will need to find homes before the closure and the clock is ticking.
At the same time, there are some who are less adoptable because of their aggressive nature. Volunteers said they will do their best in re-homing them to another shelter or sanctuary and making sure euthanasia is the very last resort.
"It’s just … it’s heartbreaking," added Compton.
In the midst of the heartbreak is a light. The news of their closure has spread like wildfire.
"A day and a half, we had almost 200 applications for our animals and we fielded 300 phone calls," added Lapine.
Half of the dogs at the shelter have been there for several years, but volunteers told FOX61 they want to make sure the dogs are a right fit for the families before handing them over.
At times, some end up returning them to the shelter for personal reasons.
"People calling me from West Virginia saying 'I’m going to send a $25 donation'...'a Facebook friend told me about it and I’m going to send you some money,'" added Compton.
If you are interested in scheduling a meet and greet with a cat or a dog, you may call the shelter at (475) 290-8525 or email them at spcactofmonroe@gmail.com.
The shelter is currently taking appointments only.
Carmen Chau is an anchor and reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at cchau@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
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