By BRAD GASKINS / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – The Shelby County Humane Society will waive its $115 cat adoption fee June 8-22 as part of the ASPCA/Fresh Step Litter Fee-Waived Cat Adoption Drive, a nationwide effort of about 100 humane societies.

The drive to find loving homes for county cats begins Wednesday, June 8 with a kick-off event from noon to 7 p.m. at the humane society, located at 381 McDow Road.

“Historically, May is our highest intake month of the year,” said Jenny Miller, executive director of the county’s humane society. “The numbers actually double in May, and will continue to remain high through the months of June and July.

“It’s a really great thing to be doing this partnership in the month of June, because we’ve had all these animals come in to the shelter. Once they come in, we get them vaccinated, spayed and neutered and then put them up for the adoption.”

As part of the kick-off event, the humane society offers a vaccine clinic from 4-6 p.m. For $25 per pet, dogs and cats can get yearly vaccinations. The fee is $15 for anybody receiving public assistance. Free pet micro-chipping is included.

“It’s a permanent form of identification, which we really encourage, especially after the recent storms,” Miller said. “There were so many misplaced animals because their collars had come off or the telephone number on the tag for the animal didn’t work or had been disconnected.”

From 6-7 p.m., Dr. Rhonda Ellison will give a clinic for new cat-adopting families.

In additional to the shelter’s Columbiana location, cats also will be up for adoption during the campaign at PetSmart locations on U.S. 280 and in Alabaster.