Laura Withers, founder of No Kill Cat Collective, told the Matthews Board of Commissioners on Nov. 24 that local animal rescues are overwhelmed and asked the town for support to create emergency or overflow shelter capacity.

"We have over 1,000 animals that are being found in the Matthews area," Withers said during the public-comment period, saying many animals are returned to the street because animal-control facilities lack space. She described volunteers and medical fosters handling critical cases and said she has spent "probably close to $1,000,000" of her own money to care for animals.

Withers urged the board to help with short-term sheltering and with coordination so local rescue groups are not the default solution for a capacity problem she described as nightly and daily. She said larger regional efforts remain insufficient (transcribed references to Charlotte-Mecklenburg shelter projects were made during her remarks).

Mayor John Higdon said staff would post Withers's presentation materials on the town website. During follow-up, a board member asked for an estimate of feral-cat numbers; Withers replied she believes the number in Matthews is "in the thousands," and stressed the role of spay/neuter and community education.

The board did not take further formal action on the request at the meeting. No funding or directive was adopted; the town agreed to make Withers's materials available online and to record her concerns for future staff follow-up.

What happens next: The town posted a link to Withers's presentation on its website during the meeting. The board did not vote on shelter funding or a formal program; any policy or budget action would require a future agenda item or staff recommendation.