The Adams County SPCA takes in dogs, cats and other homeless, abandoned or lost animals, according to a Facebook post from the shelter. The shelter was empty for the first time in 47 years.
“To say we are extremely excited is an understatement! The staff and volunteers work so hard to care for the animals in our care and make sure they are adopted into the right homes!” read the post.
The shelter said 598 animals have been adopted and 125 strays have been reunited with their owners. For pet lovers looking to add an addition to their family, Adams County SPCA staff will be picking up animals from other Pennsylvania shelters next week.
“For now, we will enjoy this achievement! Merry Christmas!” the shelter said in the post.
The shelter was nearly full in early December, but was emptied Friday.
However, CNN further reported that the shelter later said it had added an additional cat — one that arrived just as the good news broke.
About 6.3 million animals enter shelters nationwide each year, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a nonprofit group focused on animal cruelty. There are said to be more than 3 million dogs and 3.2 million cats in these shelters.
The ASPCA reports that about 920,000 shelter animals are euthanized each year, down from the more than 2.5 million cats and dogs euthanized in shelters in 2011.
“Part of this decline is due to an increase in the rate of adoptions and an increase in the number of stray animals that are successfully returned to their owners,” the ASPCA said.
