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This Saturday will be a be a very big day at the shelter as we participate in the national "Clear the Shelters" event.

This event, started by NBC and Telemundo in Texas back in 2014, has grown to include hundreds of shelters in almost every state in the country. It began when a high-intake shelter in the Dallas-Fort Worth area got together with more than 30 other shelters in the state to try to pump up support and publicity for an "empty the shelters" event. NBC got on the bandwagon and it has grown exponentially ever since.

On Aug. 17, participating shelters throughout the nation will offer pets at reduced or waived adoption fees in hopes of relieving the intense pressure on open-admission shelters. There are mixed feelings about the concept of giving away pets; as all pet owners know, there is no such thing as a "free" animal. On the plus side, the event brings in folks who otherwise might not be inclined to go to a shelter and its gets them in there in the summer when homes are in the highest demand.

Last year alone, more than 60,000 pets were adopted on the day of the event. On the negative side, some shelters forego their normal processing of potential adopters and may be sending animals to inappropriate or unprepared homes. The challenge in making this a truly successful adoption event is matching the right animals with the right homes during one of the craziest days of the year.

FalconIf you're thinking of coming in on Saturday, go online to our website at SJRAS.org. and put in an adoption application ahead of time to help streamline the process. Event hours are from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. You don't need to pick out an animal ahead of time; you can choose when you come in. First come, first served with an approved application and successful match. The application is not binding in any way, so if you change your mind, it's no big deal. If you're coming in on Saturday, be prepared to have the whole family meet with the pet. If you have a dog and are getting another, bring your dog to do a meet here on neutral territory. Be prepared to take the new pet home that day if they are fixed and ready to roll. Animals that have yet to be fixed will be done and able to be picked up within a few days.If you are ready and able to give a cat or dog a good home, this is the perfect opportunity. Think it through carefully, it's not the type of thing you do just because it's a "good deal." All of our pets for adoption are spayed or neutered, micro-chipped, vaccinated and treated for parasites. They are not all perfect. They may require training. They will require follow up veterinary care. They must be fed, cleaned up after, exercised and loved. In other words, it's a huge commitment. It can also be one of the best things you'll ever take on in your whole life; so let's do it right!

Source: It's time to clear the shelter and find forever homes for pets

Posted in 2019, SJRAS Articles