BUFFALO, N.Y. —
Hundreds of animals from across Western New York will be adopted out as part of the annual Clear the Shelters event on Saturday.
"It's all about saving lives and that's basically what it does. It gets the community to come in," said Allison Kendall, a shelter manager at Ten Lives Club.
Clear the Shelters offers reduced or waived adoption fees in lieu of items shelters are in need of. From pounds of pet food to hundreds of kitty litter cooking trays, each shelter needs a variety of items.
Kelsey Klindt, the Ten Lives Club marketing director, said any type of assistance can go a long way.
"People who decide to adopt and shop at nonprofits is really what keeps us running. A lot of nonprofits don't get a lot of funding. The funding is through the adoptions," Klindt said.
Klindt said adopting from a shelter ensures that pets are up to date on shots and have undergone an extensive amount of veterinary work.
"They're spayed or neutered, depending on if they are a boy or girl. They're dewormed, distempered, ear cleaned and micro-chipped," Klindt said.
Added Lauren Zaninovich, Niagara SPCA Shelter manager: "We take in thousands of animals each year, and we put in a lot of medical and care for all of them, so we want to make sure they have the right fit."
Many of the animals have dealt with traumatic experiences and the shelters rehabilitate the pets for months, even, sometimes years.
"Every animal that leaves here and goes to a new home is a win for us here at the shelter. I always tell people that working at a shelter is like riding a roller coaster. So, when they go out the door to a happy home that's a win, that's a good thing," Kendall said.
Check out our list of Western New York participating shelters: