Burke County Animal Services needs help and put out a plea asking people to foster or adopt from its shelter.
The plea on animal services鈥� Facebook page said the shelter is full.
鈥淥ur kennels are overflowing, and more animals are still coming through our doors every day,鈥� the post said. 鈥淲e are out of space, and we are asking 鈥� from the bottom of our hearts 鈥� for our community to help us save lives.鈥�
In an effort to help get more adopted, the shelter has waived the adoption fee but every animal adopted gets spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and preventative-treated, the post said.
On Tuesday, the shelter had 50 dogs and two litters of puppies 鈥� one litter has three puppies left in it and another litter has 11 puppies, Stella Adcock, technician at Burke County Animal Services, said. The shelter is housing 51 cats, she said.
She said the shelter experienced a recent influx of 20 dogs from a hoarding case.
鈥淲e actually have some amazing dogs right now,鈥� Adcock said. 鈥淲e have so many dogs that are great in play groups. They鈥檙e good with other dogs. We have a couple that can鈥檛 be with cats, but on the main part, most of our dogs are also good with cats and children and all kinds of stuff. They鈥檙e just really social babies.鈥�
She said there are some dogs in the shelter that are a bit more shy and will need a little patience if they are fostered or adopted.
Adcock said there are some senior cats and dogs looking for a home.
鈥淓ach kennel that opens means another scared, hopeful face doesn鈥檛 have to wait outside our doors,鈥� the shelter鈥檚 Facebook plea said. 鈥淭hese are good dogs and cats who didn鈥檛 ask to be here 鈥� they just need someone to see them, to take a chance, and to make room in their hearts and homes.鈥�
Fostering can be an alternative that will help an animal get adopted.
Adcock said there is a woman who fosters dogs for about three weeks, and then she brings it back. She lets the shelter know all about the dog, including its behavior.
鈥淲e can get those dogs adopted because she tells us everything about them. And it鈥檚 just such a really great thing,鈥� Adcock said. 鈥淭he dog doesn鈥檛 have to be at the shelter. We can have that space for somebody else. And then also, we learn so much about an animal when it鈥檚 in a home environment instead of the shelter. The shelter kind of gives us a reaction, whereas a home environment, they can relax and breathe and play and be normal.鈥�
A foster can tell the shelter whether a dog or cat can be around other animals or small children and their likes and dislikes, she said.
鈥淲e learn all of that through our fosters. It鈥檚 such a much-needed and extremely useful tool that we have,鈥� Adcock said.
She said if somebody can鈥檛 adopt or foster but still wants to help, they can go to the shelter to walk dogs around the parking lot and let them stretch their legs.
鈥淭he dogs love it. It鈥檚 really, really good for them. It鈥檚 really good for the dog鈥檚 mental health, and it also gets their energy out a little bit,鈥� Adcock said. 鈥淪o when someone does come and meet them, then they鈥檙e a little bit calmer because they鈥檝e had an opportunity to get out of their kennel.鈥�
She said the animals at the shelter are looking for a second chance.
For more information, follow Burke County Animal Services on Facebook, email them at animalservices@burkenc.org, call 828-764-9588 or stop by the shelter at 425 Kirksey Drive, 懂色帝.
The shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.