Austin is about to take several steps to help the many local kitties and pups looking for a good home.

The 18th annual Mower County Humane Society Walk-A-Thon will begin with 1 p.m. registration ahead of the 2 p.m. walk Sunday at Shirley Theel Memorial Park, 400 25th Street SW.

The walk is typically at Mill Pond but moved to Shirley Theel Memorial Park because of road construction on North Main Street.

Money raised at the walk, one of the shelter’s largest annual fundraisers, goes toward veterinary bills, the shelter’s top annual expense. Last year, vet bills totaled about $61,500.

“We work with some great veterinarians, but they still need to be paid,” said Kelly Rush, volunteer manager of the cat side of the shelter

Money will also go for pet food, litter, bleach, laundry soap and other needs at the shelter.

“One-hundred percent of this money goes right into the animals,” Rush said.

The walk brought in $12,000 last year, but the need at the shelter is strong this year. The shelter is at capacity for both cats and dogs — about 148 cats and 30 dogs, which is well over the capacity of about 100 and 25.

“We have more animals going through this year than we did last year,” Rush said.

They’re also seeing far more kittens, as the shelter received 20 kittens in May.

“Twenty kittens at one shot. That fills us up,” Rush said.

Participants in Sunday’s walk will receive prizes. People get a T-shirt for a $50 pledge, a tote bag for raising $150 pledge and a quarter zip up sweatshirt for $20 worth of pledges.

The top three money-raisers will receive their choice or a Hy-Vee, Runnings or Kwik Trip gift card. The top youth will receive a goody basket, and several other smaller prizes will be given out.

The Humane Society is run entirely by unpaid volunteers. With school in session again, the shelter lost several volunteers and is looking for people to volunteer at the shelter. Anyone interested in volunteering can call 507-437-9262.

Spay and neuter clinic

On Sept. 19, a spay and neuter clinic is coming to Austin through the Minnesota Spay Neuter Assistance Program, also called MN SNAP. While the dog side is filled, shelter leaders are urging more people to sign up for cats.

“We still have room for some cats, and we want it filled up,” Rush said.

The cost is $50 for a spay and $40 for a neuter.