TACOMA, Wash. — The Tacoma-Pierce County Humane Society saw a record number of adoptions last week after putting out a call for help when they ran out of kennel space.
The shelter waived all adoption fees for five days to encourage people to take an animal into their home. There were 287 adoptions between July 18 and July 23, according to a release from the shelter.
The shelter also performed a record number of spay and neuter surgeries within a single day in order to prepare more animals for adoption, operating on 53 pets.
"The community helped us make history!" said Leslie Dalzell, chief executive officer at the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County. "We had a line out the door every day of people looking to adopt, foster or donate. We are so grateful to the community and appreciated everyone's patience and flexibility as our staff worked long hours to match adopters with their new furry family members."
The shelter has nine dogs and one "critter" up for adoption, but staff anticipate that it will soon fill back up.
Dalzell said last week's crisis proved how limited the shelter is by their facility.
"Our 79-year-old building doesn't meet the needs of our community," Dalzell said in the release. "We have lost, homeless, neglected and abandoned animals brought to us every day. For every animal that leaves our shelter, there's another animal in need that fills that empty kennel shortly after."
The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County cares for about 10,000 animals every year.