As springtime settles in, the Cherokee County Animal Shelter is preparing for one of its busiest seasons.

"Right now is when our intake starts spiking," shelter Director Sue Garcia said. "We usually take in 10 to 15 animals a day, but we will start to see that increase to 30 to 40 animals a day."

The doubling of daily intake can put a strain on the shelter's space and resources, said Ms. Garcia.

Currently, about 160 animals are housed in the facilities, which can fit as many as 250 depending on space and the number of litters.

"Unless we have more people adopting animals, what goes along with the increase is some animals won't be ale to find homes," she said. "We only have so much space."

To combat the issue, Ms. Garcia said the shelter is coming up with new initiatives to increase adoptions for the coming summer.

"With kitten season and puppy season approaching, we want to be adopting out as many pets as possible," she said. "We're trying to come up with some different ideas."

A possible incentive might be for potential adopters to name their own "purr-ice," said Ms. Garcia, for mature cats.

As the shelter focuses on these adoption initiatives, it will also continue its community outreach with several programs in next month.

Between Monday and April 15, the staff is encouraging community members to vote online at the ASPCA's website for the shelter to compete among 49 others nationwide for a $100,000 grant. The website is www.votetosavelives.org.

On April 8, the shelter will host in conjunction with its neighbors, the Cherokee County Senior Services Center and the Mimms Boys & Girls Club, the BONEfide EGGstravaganza Easter egg hunt. The event is open only to Boys & Girls Club members.

The shelter will host a rabies and microchip clinic from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 30 at its facility. The event will also have a community yard sale, where residents can reserve spots for $20.

Along with launching new initiatives, the shelter has been forging new partnerships in the community.

Abernathy & Associates, a general practice law firm in Canton, earlier this year began a campaign to donate shredded paper to be used as bedding for animals.

"Several years ago, we began shredding documents that otherwise might have gone to the trash," managing attorney Rebecca Abernathy said. "But we've found a way to utilize these bags of shredded paper for a greater purpose."

The firm got several other local law offices involved and since January they have been collecting their shreddings as well to donate.

Last week, the firm dropped off about 30 bags of paper.

"We're going to try to expand it into Pickens County and Jasper," said Ms. Abernathy.

Besides adoptions, Ms. Garcia said the shelter's current greatest area of need is for clay cat litter, dry food and newspapers.