If there’s one thing that rivals looking at adorable animal photos, it’s spending time with them in person. Sonia, a dedicated volunteer at Adoption Chats Sans Abri (ACSA), a cat shelter in Canada, knows this joy firsthand. Regularly involved at the shelter, she also shares snapshots of the cats she cares for on Reddit. Bored Panda got in touch with Sonia to learn more about her experiences.

After moving back to Quebec City, where ACSA is located, Sonia felt a pull to help out. “I walked in front of the shelter a couple of times before finally deciding to step in and volunteer,” she explains. “Now, I’m usually there twice a week. It’s really good for my self-esteem. It’s also hard to feel depressed when you’re in a room full of kittens.”

Since 1996, ACSA has been caring for stray and abandoned cats, helping them find forever homes. They pride themselves on being an ethical shelter, only resorting to euthanasia in cases of severe medical issues. Their mission extends beyond care, aiming to raise awareness about responsible adoption and the importance of sterilization.

Sonia frequently updates social media on the progress of the cats under ACSA’s care. Her photos feature kitties getting plenty of pets, receiving treatments, and playfully roaming the shelter. “We specialize in feral cats, and people love seeing their transformation on Facebook, so I started sharing them here on Reddit,” she says. “The feedback has been amazing, so I try to post each day.” 

“There are so many cats in shelters. I don’t understand why people would intentionally breed more cats just because they look a certain way” Sonia points out. “Adoption is the way to go—you don’t ‘buy’ a cat. Yes, there’s a fee, but it hardly covers the costs we’ve put into caring for each one.”

Sadly, while adopting from shelters is widely considered the ethical choice, many shelters are facing a crisis. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, adoption rates soared as people sought companionship during lockdowns. Some shelters even emptied out as animals were adopted at record rates. But that wave of enthusiasm was short-lived, and shelters are now overwhelmed again as more animals come in than go out.

In the U.S., during 2020, when adoption rates spiked, 2% more animals left shelters than arrived, according to Shelter Animals Count. However, by 2021, that figure reversed—2% more animals entered shelters than left. In 2022, the gap widened to 4%. While that may not seem like much, each percentage point represents tens of thousands of animals.

Shelters have become overcrowded, partly because of lifestyle changes that came with the end of lockdowns. Pets who spent months indoors with their owners around suddenly had to adjust when people returned to their normal routines outside the house. This stress led to behavioral issues that many struggled to manage. For instance, dog owners reported challenges as their pets adapted to being left alone or reintroduced to public spaces. As a result, some decided to return their pets to shelters.

Despite the pandemic being behind us, shelters are still facing the issue of being overfilled, even years later.

“When I first started 9 years ago, we always had open spaces in our shelter. Now we fill spaces within about 90 seconds,” says Natalie Thomson, chief communications officer of Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL). “Saying ‘no’ to an animal in need is one of the hardest things in the world, but when there is physically no place to put them, you have to.”

Space isn’t the only concern—shelters also struggle with funding. Providing medical care, food, and toys for the animals is expensive, and many shelters, like ACSA, rely heavily on donations to keep going. “I don’t mention it often on Reddit, but we survive on donations, the sale of cat food and litter, and fundraising events,” Sonia admits.

If adopting isn’t an option for you, there are still plenty of ways to help. Donating or volunteering at a shelter like Sonia does can make a huge difference. Each interaction brings joy to the animals and helps them find homes faster, while every financial contribution ensures they’re well cared for and given the love they deserve.