A Beaufort cat shelter is closing for good. Why it says its mission is gone
A cat shelter in Beaufort announced on Thursday it has permanently closed.
Tabby House, located on Boundary Street, announced it would close due to the coronavirus pandemic and the financial woes it has caused.
“We are partly a victim of the pandemic because the county has decided loss of tax revenue means they will no longer provide funds to pay for our rent and utilities,” the shelter said in a statement.
Tabby House opened in 2012 when, according to the shelter’s statement, Beaufort County had an old and overpopulated shelter and adult cats in particular were rarely adopted.
“Our vision was to create a welcoming adoption center in an area of town where people would want to visit and cats could be showcased,” according to the statement. “In seven years, our all-volunteer staff adopted out around 2,000 cats and kittens.”
New county shelter
In recent years, Tabby House’s director coordinated with the Hilton Head Humane Association to build a new shelter in the middle of Beaufort County.
In 2019, the new facility opened with space to shelter 100 felines ready for adoption, Tabby House’s statement said.
“Slowly, (the new shelter) has assumed greater responsibility for intake and adoption. They have been wonderfully successful,” according to the statement. “The county also ramped up the spay/neuter program for strays as well as homed cats, meaning the number of cats/kittens coming to the shelter has decreased significantly.”
When Tabby House was financially supported by Beaufort County, its statement said the shelter was assured of a share of kittens and cats.
“Now that we would be just another shelter, (the new shelter) is under no obligation to supply us with cats. We could overcome any obstacle but the absence of our mission,” the statement said.
Funds remaining in the Community Foundation Tabby House Fund will be used within the Beaufort County Animal Service to enhance specific cat-related programs, the statement said.
“We hope all of you will remember Tabby House fondly,” the shelter wrote.
