Capitalizing off the success of the recent adoption event, the Elizabethton/Carter County Animal Shelter is looking to provide their pooches and felines with homes for the holiday season.
The second stint of “Empty the Shelter” got underway on Monday, Nov. 28, and will last until Monday, Jan. 2.
The decision to hold a second installment came with ease, according to Shelter Director Shannon Posada.
“We adopted over 50 animals during the last event,” Posada said. “That’s around one-third of the population. It was such a success.”
The success of the event came in part to sponsorships offered by citizens. To go along with funds already raised by independent citizens and organizations like the Friends of the Animal Shelter, the second event saw $750 go towards animals having the opportunity to be adopted out free of charge.
“Whatever we can do to help them find their forever homes,” Posada said. “We have a wide variety of animals here, from all ages and sizes. We’re going to do everything to be an advocate for these animals and make sure they find loving homes.”
Citizens have the opportunity to take part in the event by a “first come, first serve” basis. The amount of “free adoptions” depends on the amount of sponsorships the shelter receives, but current amount of funding will allow a sizeable portion of the population to be adopted out to citizens without having to break the wallet.
Once sponsorship funding subsides, the $10 adoption fee will be waived with attendees only having to pay the spay/neuter cost for an animal — $35 for cats and $45 for dogs. A free microchip will be included with each adopted animal.
“We have an allotted amount of funds for sponsorships,” Posada said. “We appreciate the people that went out of their way to sponsor an animal to help them find a new home.”
Shelter expansion is on the horizon, but due to overwhelming numbers and cold temperatures entering the region, the facility currently has a waiting list in place for intake of animals.
“As of right now, we are full,” Posada said about the space inside the shelter. “But as we start adopting animals out, we can open our intake back up. Anybody with an emergency situation can always call the office. We’ll work to do everything we can to make sure the animal is in a safe and secure location.”
In a recent column penned to the Elizabethton Star, Carter County Mayor Leon Humphrey expressed his gratitude for the citizens’ time and patience for recent work at the facility.
The Elizabethton/Carter County Animal Shelter sincerely appreciates and thanks all of our wonderful volunteers, sponsors, donors, rescue partners, fosters and the citizens, in not only Carter County but the region,” he wrote. “We are eternally grateful and know that your kindness will bring many days of happiness to you, your families and to your new pet or pets.”
For more information on sponsorships, intake or the “Empty the Shelter” event, contact the shelter at (423) 547-6359.