FWT vice president on animal shelter overcrowding: 'Every dog and cat gets a certain number of days'

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Fix West Texas agreed to take in cats in danger of euthanasia. | Unsplash/Zeke Tucker

A partnership between nonprofit organization Fix West Texas (FWT) and the City of Midland seeks to address overcrowding animal shelters and the high euthanasia rate for local felines, according to a report from Midland CBS affiliate KWES. FWT Vice President of Operations Karen Patterson told KWES that shelters that reach capacity have to decide whether a cat or a dog has to be killed in order to make room for other animals.

"Every dog and cat gets a certain number of days and when those days are up, no one comes to adopt, no one comes to foster then they are euthanized," Patterson said, according to the station.

And that's what prompted the formation of the partnership. According to the station, FWT agreed to take in any cats at risk for euthanasia.

KWES reported that Midland has a euthanasia rate of 30% while Odessa's is 52%. 

"So 30% of all dogs and cats that enter the shelter will be killed for space," Patterson told the station. "So chances are 50/50 of making it out alive."

Simply put, FWT has made it a goal to help reduce those rates.

Patterson said felines taken in by her organization are either spayed or neutered, vaccinated and placed for adoption, KWES reported.

FWT has taken 150 cats in so far this year, the station reported.

Individuals interested in giving a cat a permanent home can visit FWT's offices at 5023 Princeton Ave. Suite 17.

They can also log on to its website, fixwesttexas.org, to learn more.