Sounding Off:

With all animal shelters and rescues busting at the seams with cats and dogs, it’s the time of year to give the gift of love and hope. The overpopulation is due to breeding, puppy mills, no laws mandating neutering and spaying, and plain old ignorance and neglect.

Visit local shelters and rescues. About 40% of dogs are pure breed. The Orange County Humane Society at 21632 Newland St., a quarter-mile from Pacific Coast Highway, is open daily.

There is no sign for the shelter, but it is behind the animal hospital and filled with loving cats, dogs and bunnies waiting for a home.

Second Chance Pet Adoptions, with a huge selection of loving kittens, is inside Petco at Warner Avenue and Springdale Street, as well as inside PetSmart on Edinger Avenue, across from Bella Terra. You can also check out www.secondchancepet adoptions.org.

Also, the large county shelter at 561 The City Drive in Orange is overwhelmed with animals. Unfortunately, Huntington Beach does not have its own shelter and contracts here along with 20 other cities, so our residents need to drive to Orange for lost and found pets.

The shelter on Newland Street contracts with Costa Mesa and Westminster.

All the pets you see in the shelters were once cuddly kittens and puppies, and were adopted by someone who ultimately dumped them.

Volunteers are always needed. Call Hilary at (714) 651-5273 for kitties at Second Chance or pick up an application at one of the above stores, where the kitties can be seen.

Call (714) 960-6659 for more information on volunteering, or e-mail joonbugge@aol.com to volunteer at the Humane Society in Huntington Beach.

Neuter and spay your pets to help with the overpopulation, and help limit the 3 million to 4 million animals that are destroyed yearly in this country.

LYNN COPELAND is a Huntington Beach resident and a member of the Orange County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.