WATERVILLE — Animal lovers this weekend will be able to adopt pets at reduced prices or have adoption fees waived at the Humane Society Waterville Area shelter on Webb Road.
The shelter is one of seven in the state taking part Saturday and Sunday in the nationwide pet adoption event, “Clear the Shelters Day,” hosted by NBC Universal Owned Television Stations. TV stations WCSH and WLBZ also will take part. The event will be held at the Waterville shelter at 100 Webb Road from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Since 2015, the event has resulted in more than 70,000 pet adoptions nationwide, according to Lisa Smith, director of Humane Society Waterville Area.
Smith said that this is the first time the Waterville shelter has taken part in the adoption event and she hopes for a big turnout.
“We are very excited to see a whole lot of people coming out to the shelter to adopt and hopefully people we’ve never seen before,” Smith said. “We have a lot of wonderful animals — every age and size and color of cats and kittens — at half the price or fee-waived, which we have not done before, even on kittens. It’s not often that we do something like this but we want to see everyone get a home, and as nice as the shelter is, it’s not a home, and we know the animals will be happier in a home than in a shelter.
She said the shelter is full, with 100 adult cats and 51 kittens, about half of which are ready for adoption. The shelter also has many dogs.
“We are looking for good, qualified adopters,” she said.
Before the shelter adopts out animals, the animals are spayed or neutered and receive primary vaccinations. They also are de-wormed and treated for fleas and ticks, Smith said. Dogs get micro chipped, which enables them to be found easily if they become lost. The adoption fee covers all of those items and basically, the shelter this weekend is giving up some of the fees to encourage faster adoptions because the shelter is so full.
“Last year we helped clear the shelter by working with a partner shelter in Westbrook and supplying cats to them for the Clear the Shelters event,” Smith said. “This year we decided we should participate.”
Animals that will be available for a waived fee include those with special needs, according to Smith. She cited as an example a cat that is diabetic, one that requires special food or “bonded cats.”
“That is two cats that seem to be co-dependent on each other and we feel would not do well if separated,” she said.
Smith also announced that, starting Sunday, the shelter will be open on Sundays for the first time in its history. It will be open noon to 4 p.m. that day and other specials will be announced for future Sundays.
Also, evening hours will be extended on Thursday and Friday to 6 p.m. to better accommodate the public and allow people to spend an entire weekend with their new pet before returning to work, according to Smith.
The Waterville shelter is now open noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; noon to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Those wanting more information about Clear the Shelters Day may visit ClearTheShelters.com. People may also follow the effort on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by using the hashtags #ClearTheShelters and #LoveMyPet.
Amy Calder — 861-9247
Twitter: @AmyCalder17
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