AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — Cynthia Clark, director of operations for the Amarillo-Panhandle Humane Society, said animal shelters and foster-based organizations are severely impacted by puppy and kitten season every year.

According to Clark, shelters have more puppies and kittens than they have available kennel space or foster homes during this season and they need more help. She said that just this month alone, the humane society has taken in just under 50 bottle babies.

“These have to be fed every two to four hours depending on how old they are and you have to have a person around the clock,” Clark said. “Shelters can’t house babies that little, so they depend on a foster home to live.”

Clark said spaying and neutering your animals can help.

“Amarillo, in general, has more animals than they have homes, so spaying and neutering your animals will help prevent further overpopulation since we can’t place the ones we already have,” she said.

According to Clark, the humane society has partnered with the P.E.T.S. Clinic for a special program.

“We offer the Spay-A-Mama program, so if your dog or cat is pregnant or has recently had babies, you can do the application on our website. We can take the babies, place them for you, and we’ll spay the mom for $30,” said Clark.

Clark said the recent rainfall has caused mother cats to orphan their kittens. She said to contact a shelter for help if the kittens are injured or critically sick. If the kittens are not sick or injured, the mother may be relocating her babies or hunting for food. Her advice is to watch and see if the mom returns, and if not she says to step in and find help.

According to Clark, if the orphaned kittens are around six weeks or older, you can utilize social media and your personal network to try and place them in homes.

To find more information about how to adopt a cat or dog, donate to the humane society, and volunteer to help foster visit the Amarillo-Panhandle Humane Society’s website.