PORTSMOUTH Va. (WAVY) – It’s been a heartwarming month as 10 On Your Side partnered with local animal shelters for the annual Clear The Shelters campaign to find animals their forever homes.
With a year unlike any other due to the pandemic, animal shelters needed your help more than ever.
“We had almost a 42 percent drop in adoptions which is very substantial,” explained Executive Director of the Norfolk SPCA, Kimberly Sherlaw
“We got to the point where we had maybe 10 dogs in here. We are slowly building back up,” said VP of the Board with the Animal Aid Society in Hampton, Diane Witiak.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve met loving cats, dogs, rabbits, and even guinea pigs at local shelters.
From the Norfolk SPCA and Animal Aid Society in Hampton, to the Isle of Wight animal shelter and the SPCA of Northeastern North Carolina.
We met some remarkable animals along the way, like Olympia.
She came to the shelter very emaciated, and they’ve nourished her back to good health.
“She sounds horrible in the kennel she will bark her head off, but she’s super sweet and just the goofiest,” said Shelter Manager of the SPCA of Northeastern North Carolina, Judy Anthony.
And also, 1-year-old Kai. He was surrender by his owner due to a medical condition he was born with.
“He has a condition called megaesophagus which is where when they eat their esophagus don’t contract and let them hold food down and doesn’t enable them to swallow chunky and hard food,” explained Roy Richards the Chief of Animal Control at the Isle of Wight animal shelter.
Each with their own special story, and lots of room left in their hearts for a family. Whether it’s clear the shelters or any other time of the year, we hope you adopt when picking out a pet.
“The little bit of love they get they appreciate it because sometimes they don’t get it or hadn’t had it anywhere else,” said Richards.
Stay with us on-air and online for a final tally of the animals who’ve found their forever homes.
For more information, click here.
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