Spring means it's busy season for local animal shelters

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. - It's cat season in South Florida, which means stray kittens are popping up everywhere.

Unfortunately, this means they are also pouring in the doors of local animal shelters.

“It’s that time of the year where there are plenty of little kittens, like you can see right here. Most of these kitties come from people who are letting their cats outside, they’re not spayed or neutered,” says Niki Gottesman of Peggy Adam’s Animal Rescue.

Since the Palm Beach County Commission approved an ordinance in 2008 restricting breeding and requiring unaltered pets to register with the county, Gottesman says she has definitely seen some changes.

"Because of the spay/neuter ordinance, we actually are not seeing the amount of puppies that we used to get. Within the last two years the puppies have truly decreased. Unfortunately with kitties, such is not the case. We’re still seeing tons of kitties," says Gottesman.

Peggy Adams, as well as many other local shelters, are trying to do their part, not only by providing new homes for the animals, but also providing low cost spaying and neutering to help control their population.

"Most importantly, bring your pets here to Peggy Adams, or any other place, get them spayed or neutered and don’t let them outside," says Gottesman.