Question
My cat is an indoor/outdoor cat, he was picked up by the Humane Society last night as a lost animal (when he was close to home). How can I get him back? I cannot afford the fees they are asking for. I don’t understand why I need to pay to get my animal back when he was taken from his home area being an outdoor cat 90% of the time.
Answer
Impound fees are commonly charged to reclaim animals from a shelter. It costs money for a shelter to rescue, feed, and provide care to animals in their custody. It is also quite common for people who are concerned about dogs and cats roaming the streets unsupervised to contact animal control and humane societies. There are many lost and stray animals who need rescuing and it is often difficult for a concerned person to know if an animal is taking a stroll and going home or is lost or abandoned. Important to note is that shelters are generally required to hold animals only for a limited number of days to give the animals’ “parents” an opportunity to reclaim their animals, after which time the animals may usually be rehomed. Sadly, some animals are euthanized. Consider keeping your cat indoors where he will be safer.
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