Stock photo of cat at a veterinary office.Photo:Getty
Getty
A New Jersey animal shelter is offering an outlet for jilted lovers on Valentine’s Day.
On Tuesday,Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center in Blackwood, New Jersey, announced on Instagramthe launch of its “Neuter Your Ex” donation event for Valentine’s Day, where a person can donate $50 to the shelter to have a feral cat named after their ex and then neutered.
“The cat will then be spayed or neutered before being released back to their colony as part of our trap-neuter-return (TNR) program,” Homeward Bound added on social media about the promotion.
“It’s absolutely taken off,” Eric Schwartz, director of development forHomeward Bound Pet Adoption Center, toldCBS Newsof the reaction to the event.
Schwartz added that the idea for the special came from a shelter volunteer, and the tagline “some things shouldn’t breed” was created after the initial idea.
The director also noted that he believes the event is popular because it’s “so relatable to people.”
“Because whether they want to talk about it openly or not, I think an image or a name comes into their mind [when they think of the slogan],” he said. “So it’s just kind of taken off, and we’re certainly appreciative of the attention that it can bring to these animals.”
Schwartz said that Homeward Bound had received calls and donations for about 50 different name suggestions for feral cats so far, with at least five of the names belonging to donors' exes.
Animal lovers intrigued about helping felines and getting revenge on an ex should know there are some rules for naming the feral cats included in the event.
The shelter noted that only first names or nicknames, not full names, can be used for the event.
After the feral cats taking part in the event have been named and then spayed or neutered, they will be released back to the feral feline colony, where they were found as part of Homeward Bound’s trap-neuter-return (TNR) program.
“Your donation ensures we can offer spay/neuter surgery at reduced costs for community cats and their caretakers in need,” Homeward Boundnoted on its website,
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“Our spay and neuter and release program allows us to get some of thesestray cats off the streets,” Schwartz told CBS News.
He continued: “Obviously, it’s a cycle that needs to be broken or at least limited.”
source: people.com
