ST. CLAIRSVILLE — A nonprofit organization is working with Belmont County to provide a helping hand to the area’s feline population at no expense to taxpayers.

During Tuesday’s meeting of the Belmont County Board of Commissioners, the commissioners announced that Candace Fleagane, director of Belmont County Cat Stray Shun, will assist in the care and control of cats housed at the Belmont County Animal Shelter. Commissioners J.P. Dutton, Josh Meyer and Mark Thomas were all present.

“She has a nonprofit cat rescue, and their nonprofit is going to provide some funding to help for the care and the shelter of the cats within our animal shelter,” Thomas said. “We already have a cat room. … Under Ohio law, we’re responsible for dogs only, and we have (dog) licenses to help pay for that. The law does not provide for the licensing of cats, but over the years we have housed cats. … She just wants to manage that part of the facility because it’s not required under Ohio law, and it helps us facilitate a more efficiently run shelter.”

Dutton said about a year ago the commissioners had decided the shelter could no longer accept cats due to an unsustainable overpopulation. Currently the cat population at the shelter is close to 32, and the commissioners and shelter director intend for it to remain at that number.

Dutton acknowledged the overpopulation of cats in the area, adding that it had been necessary to turn away people bringing in strays in order to ensure the welfare of those cats already housed inside.

Dutton echoed Thomas’s comment that while care of dogs is funded by the sale of dog tags, there is not a mechanism for the care of cats.

“We think this was a better approach,” Dutton said. “We’re working with our nonprofits in Belmont County to try to find coordination and collaboration. We’re always looking for ways to improve our county facilities. This is an example of one at the animal shelter. We think this will provide a great benefit, and it’s going to provide something sustainable for us to continue to house cats at our animal shelter.”

Fleagane, who has volunteered at the shelter for 35 years, took a more active role in stepping in to fill the breach when the county decided to limit the cat population at the shelter. She started the Cat Stray Shun organization in 2010 to help low-income individuals spay and neuter cats. She has seen the work and the need for it increase.

“(The cats at the shelter) were just stuffed in little rabbit cages. It was too many. We started working on spaying and neutering them,” she said. “We have found most of them homes.”

Fleagane will provide care for every cat that comes into the shelter. This care will include feline leukemia testing, rabies and other shots as well as other needs.

“They can be adopted at an affordable price to the public of $50 per cat, and everything is done. They are completely vetted,” she said.

Fleagane credited her friends and contacts who help care for cats, perform trap-neuter-release operations with strays, and who donate to the cause. She also practices reaching out to the community.

“I use my Facebook page. I put my cats on there. I took them every Saturday to Rural King. I took them to Pet Supply on Sunday. That also gets the word out,” she said. “It gets me out into the public.”

She said this practice has brought many cat-adopters to the animal shelter.

Fleagane is a longtime animal lover and former member of the Belmont County Animal Rescue League board. In the shelter, she pointed out a variety of cats, including semi-feral cats kept in cages that could find a home on a farm. The cat room in the shelter houses the majority of the cats, all of whom await loving owners.

Fleagane asks for the public to practice responsible cat ownership and consider contacting Cat Stray Shun to have their cats spayed before they breed and deliver litters of kittens. Fleagane can also provide traps for people interested in trap-neuter-release of feral cats. Her organization can assist in paying for the operation.

A fundraiser is planned for 6 p.m. July 26 at the St. Clairsville Eagles to support the program. This will be the fourth annual fundraiser and will include food and gift baskets.

“Between selling tickets and getting sponsors and selling the raffle tickets, that’s how we will make our money to support this program for the next few months. Hopefully from now ’til Christmas,” she said.

Cat Stray Shun can be reached at 740-338-9339. The organization also has a Facebook page.