N.J. Animal Shelter's 'Neuter Your Ex' Special for Valentine's Day Has 'Absolutely Taken Off'

Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center, which is hosting the event, said that all funds from the special will help cover the rescue's spay and neuter program

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Stock photo of cat at a veterinary office

• Homeward Bound Adoption Center in Blackwood, New Jersey, recently announced its "Neuter Your Ex" donation event

• For the promotion, animal lovers can donate $50 to have a feral cat named after their ex. The feline will then be spayed or neutered

• Feral cats involved in the promotion will be released back into their cat colonies after their spay/neuter operations
  

A New Jersey animal shelter is offering an outlet for jilted lovers on Valentine's Day.

On Tuesday, Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center in Blackwood, New Jersey, announced on Instagram the launch of its "Neuter Your Ex" donation event for Valentine's Day, where a person can donate $50 to the shelter to have a feral cat named after their ex and then neutered.

"The cat will then be spayed or neutered before being released back to their colony as part of our trap-neuter-return (TNR) program," Homeward Bound added on social media about the promotion.

"It's absolutely taken off," Eric Schwartz, director of development for Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center, told CBS News of the reaction to the event.

Schwartz added that the idea for the special came from a shelter volunteer, and the tagline "some things shouldn't breed" was created after the initial idea.

The director also noted that he believes the event is popular because it's "so relatable to people."

Related: Bride and Groom Go Viral After Adopting Stray Cat That Interrupted Their Outdoor Wedding Ceremony

"Because whether they want to talk about it openly or not, I think an image or a name comes into their mind [when they think of the slogan]," he said. "So it's just kind of taken off, and we're certainly appreciative of the attention that it can bring to these animals."

Schwartz said that Homeward Bound had received calls and donations for about 50 different name suggestions for feral cats so far, with at least five of the names belonging to donors' exes.

Animal lovers intrigued about helping felines and getting revenge on an ex should know there are some rules for naming the feral cats included in the event.

Related: Owning a Pet May Lower Risk of Dementia for Adults 50 and Older, Study Says

The shelter noted that only first names or nicknames, not full names, can be used for the event.

After the feral cats taking part in the event have been named and then spayed or neutered, they will be released back to the feral feline colony, where they were found as part of Homeward Bound's trap-neuter-return (TNR) program.

The funds raised by the "Neuter Your Ex" donation will go directly into the shelter's TNR program, which helps humanely control the feral cat population in New Jersey.

"Your donation ensures we can offer spay/neuter surgery at reduced costs for community cats and their caretakers in need," Homeward Bound noted on its website,

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"Our spay and neuter and release program allows us to get some of these stray cats off the streets," Schwartz told CBS News.

He continued: "Obviously, it's a cycle that needs to be broken or at least limited."

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