OTTAWA COUNTY, Ohio — The arrival of colder weather marks the beginning of the busiest time of year for animal shelters.
The pens and kennels at the Humane Society of Ottawa County are filled.
But now that the weather has turned, they are expecting even more animals in need of sheltering.
Lesa Heredia, the shelter director, said once winter begins, they receive more calls for their humane officer to evaluate if an animal needs brought in.
For dogs, it's usually an owner who can no longer take care of them or bring them inside. As for cats, it's usually groups of strays.
"People may have been feeding a group of outdoor cats for the last few months, and everything was fine. But as soon as Winter comes, everybody kind of starts to panic," said Heredia.
Lesa said if you ever need help with an animal, to call your local Humane Society.
In Ottawa County, they are already above capacity for cats, because they recently took in 52 cats from a local sanctuary that had to close down. They need to get those animals in homes soon, before the wave of winter shelter animals picks comes in.
"We're reaching out to people asking for fosters, if you're willing to take in one or two of these cats to free up space for the ones we're going to need to take in, that would be a great help," said Heredia
By calling 419-734-5191, you can find more information on how to foster one of these animals.