07/16/2025
Please Read This Entire Post — It Matters.
If you’ve been following local news or social media, you already know: our area is in the middle of an animal welfare crisis. Shelters and rescues across the Panhandle are overwhelmed. The number of unwanted animals has exploded, and it’s far beyond what any one organization can handle alone.
Here at SOCKS, we’ve done everything we can — and then some.
•We've taken in and found homes for hundreds of cats and kittens this year.
•We’ve provided supplies and guidance to hundreds more people who found abandoned kittens.
•We’ve facilitated hundreds of spay and neuter surgeries to stop the cycle of overpopulation.
•We've assisted with numerous trap/neuter/return (TNR) efforts.
But we are now at a breaking point.
More and more of the cats we’re taking in are arriving critically ill. Despite heroic efforts by our veterinary partners — Northside Vet, Crossroads Animal Clinic, and Murphy Vet — more kittens are dying this year than in years past. Every loss hurts. And every one comes with a cost — emotional, financial, and physical.
SOCKS is struggling.
We are short on funds. Short on volunteers. Short on space. Short on everything. And this is not sustainable.
Effective immediately, we are placing a pause on all cat and kitten intakes.
We must focus on the cats already in our care. This pause will remain in effect until we meet these critical needs:
•More adoptions. We need to reduce the number of cats in our building to a safe, manageable level.
•More fosters. Especially for adult cats who need medical recovery time or behavior observation.
•More regular volunteers. We need help every morning to prepare the shelter for the day.
•More donations. To pay our veterinary bills, care for our cats, and keep our shelter running.
In the meantime, SOCKS will continue to:
•Help residents find low-cost spay/neuter resources
•Host spay/neuter surgeries with Mack the SNipper
•Provide guidance when kittens are found
•Assist with TNR efforts whenever possible
We’re doing everything we can to stay open and continue this mission. This decision wasn’t made lightly — it hurts us deeply — but it’s necessary.
What You Can Do:
Speak up. If you believe animal welfare matters in Okaloosa County, tell your county commissioners. This problem didn’t happen overnight, and it won’t be solved by blaming underfunded rescues. They need to hear from the public — from you. Email addresses are easy to find here:
👉 https://myokaloosa.com/board-county-commissioners
Volunteer. We need you now more than ever. Whether you can foster, clean, sort donations, or just lend a hand — we’ll train you. Email:
📧 kim@saveourcatsandkittens.com
Donate. Every dollar makes a difference. Help us keep our doors open:
💙 https://www.saveourcatsandkittens.com
Thank you for standing with us — and with the cats who have no voice but ours.
— SOCKS
