Metro-East News

Free cat adoption event in St. Louis helps make way for Harvey’s animals

A cat from League City, Texas, is brought to the Emancipet clinic in Houston. More than 50 cats previously at the Humane Society in Houston have been brought to Missouri.
A cat from League City, Texas, is brought to the Emancipet clinic in Houston. More than 50 cats previously at the Humane Society in Houston have been brought to Missouri. TNS

An influx of felines from the Houston area is prompting the Humane Society of Missouri to reduce cat adoption fees this weekend.

Adopt an adult cat for free, or a kitten for $75, at 1201 Mackland Ave. in St. Louis on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Adoptions of these animals will make room for the nearly 100 animals from Houston that are now in St. Louis and soon available for adoption at the Humane Society. Call 314-951-1562 for more information.

The addition of 55 cats from the Houston SPCA joins the previously released 43 dogs from Houston. The animals from Houston had been previously surrendered by their owners; they are not animals separated from their families by the storm. The Texas shelter is taking in additional animals in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey with its Animal Rescue Disaster Hotline.

Donate blood

Canceled blood drives in Texas has left the Red Cross down about 1,000 donations, Red Cross Public Relations Director Kirby Winn said. Red Cross Donor Relations Director Amanda Hess called the need “urgent.”

The Fairview Heights Blood Donation Center is open until 3 p.m. Sunday and will also be open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday. For more information on blood drive locations later this week, visit the Red Cross’ website.

Volunteer

The St. Louis chapter of the Red Cross continues to seek volunteers to help collect and load supplies or to go to Houston to help with Hurricane Harvey efforts.

To apply, visit the St. Louis Red Cross website.

Volunteers like Robert Whitlow, of Belleville, who headed to Texas with the Red Cross on Aug. 25, will help out in shelters and provide supplies to storm victims.

Donate money but not clothes

Monetary donations can be sent to the Red Cross by visiting the Red Cross website, calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or texting the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Clothing donations are less useful for storm victims than other items, like medical supplies, hygiene items and toilet paper.

Donate supplies

Market Center IGA in New Baden is also collecting much-needed supplies for hurricane victims in Texas as part of the group “Stock the Trailer for Texas.”

Donations may be dropped off in the trailers Thursday at:

▪ Stock Transport, 10037 Faust Road, Lebanon

▪ Tom’s Supermarket, 95 Mascoutah Plaza Drive, Mascoutah

▪ Tom’s Supermarket, 369 Marketplace Drive, Freeburg IL 62243

▪ IGA, 450 W. Hanover St., New Baden

▪ Strano, 1910 Carlyle Ave., Belleville

This story was originally published September 3, 2017 at 8:52 AM with the headline "Free cat adoption event in St. Louis helps make way for Harvey’s animals."

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