Hundreds of Local Pets Adopted During Clear the Shelters Event

Shelters in the tri-state area reported that 1,191 pets had been adopted

Local animal lovers came out in droves and took home hundreds of new friends, making the second annual Clear the Shelters event a huge success.

Participating shelters in the tri-state area reported that 1,191 pets had been adopted during the day.

More than 40 local NBC and Telemundo television stations teamed up with about 650 animal shelters across the country and in Puerto Rico for the event. Animal shelters offered no-cost or reduced-fee adoptions and waived spaying and neutering fees.

One pup traveled all the way from Turkey to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Westchester County. Rosie spent about a month and a half at the Briarcliff Manor shelter before being adopted Saturday by a Connecticut man.

Rosie had been a bit difficult to place because of a neurological syndrome.

"She’s going to fine for her life but it's just something to look out for and keep on top of," said the shelter’s executive director, Shannon Laukhuf. "When you see her walk, she's usually fine but every ten steps she might sway a little bit.

“She doesn’t let it stop her,” Laukhuf said. “She’s just the most playful dog. She loves other animals, she’s great with kids.”

At the Connecticut Humane Society, numerous families came in as soon as the doors opened.

Bliss Kern, who serves as executive director of the Westport Branch, said the day was “a big success,” adding that the need for adoption is often greatest in the summer because some people move and give up or abandon their pets this time of year.

Many members of the NBC 4 New York news crew also made friends with some cute pets.

In all, more than 45,000 animals have been adopted as part of Clear the Shelters from the beginning of July through Saturday.

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