(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) l-r Marley Colt and boyfriend Jon McFarland are all smiles after adopting Baxter, a 1-year-old heeler mix, during the Humane Society's weeklong adoption event, Clear the Shelters, Saturday, August 19, 2017, a nationwide drive to adopt out cats and dogs.
People visiting the Humane Society of Utah on Saturday likely had a difficult time walking out without a new furry family member or, at the very least, a smile on their face.
But that was the point.
In an effort to match hundreds of cats, dogs and other animals with forever homes, the Humane Society of Utah (HSU) joined more than 900 shelters nationwide in “Clear the Shelters,” a weeklong adoption event sponsored by NBC and Telemundo.
“The staff and volunteers are working hard to help everyone find the perfect fit for them,” said Deann Shepherd, the director of marketing and communications for HSU.
And that hard work was paying off.
By the end of Saturday, 56 dogs, 76 cats and 16 other animals had been adopted, increasing HSU’s weekly total pets adopted to 278.
“I love that people are waking up and choosing to come and adopt,” Shepherd said, calling the adoptive families heroes.
Although many animals found new homes, the shelter, which does not euthanize for time or space, still has hundreds of animals to place.
“It doesn‘t mean we’re just empty tomorrow,” Shepherd said, adding that HSU often receives transfers from other shelters and holds some animals in receiving until kennel space frees up. So while the weeklong event might be ending, Shepherd said there will always be more animals that need homes.
And that means, “we‘ll need more heroes to come down and save pets.”