Concho Valley PAWS to Host Free Adoption Event Saturday

SAN ANGELO, TX – Concho Valley PAWS is hosting a free adoption event on Saturday, November 7 from 1 p.m.- 7 p.m. at the San Angelo Animal Shelter at 3145 N. US Highway 67. 

The event is an effort to encourage adoptions as the shelter is at capacity.  The adoption includes the pets spay or neuter, annual vaccinations including rabies, microchip with lifetime registry and a collar with personalized ID tag. 

Concho Valley PAWS is also looking for volunteers who would agree to foster a pet.  Volunteers who would consider taking a pet into their homes are encouraged to visit cvpaws.org and complete the foster application under the "get involved" tab.  Volunteers who foster simply open their hearts and homes to homeless pets until permanent homes can be found.  The average stay for a foster pet is 4-6 weeks.  The foster pets are all spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped.  PAWS provides for all the pets' medical care, food and other needs.  

 "2020 has been a year of challenges for all of us." Executive Director Jenie Wilson said.   "We have been fortunate to work with the City of San Angelo to maintain the no-kill initiative at our local shelter.  It has been more than two years since an animal has been euthanized for space.  But any time we see this many animals at the shelter, we know that the initiative is threatened.  We worry about the fate of our long stays because they could face euthanasia if we don't create space."  Wilson said.  "I think people don't realize that space and resources are finite, when all the kennels are full and more animals continue to come in,  we only have four options. Those are to find emergency foster placement which requires willing foster volunteers, place pets for adoption in safe homes which requires willing adopters, transport pets out to partnering agencies that do not have a population crisis which is not always an available option or euthanize the animal for space."  Wilson said.   "We believe that euthanizing for space is morally and ethically wrong.  To end the life of a healthy animal just because you need the kennel space for new arrivals is heartbreaking, so we are literally begging our community to get involved and help."  

Free events such as this do help.  It motivates people who may have been on the fence about adopting to go ahead and come out to the shelter and meet the pets.  "Once you're here, you can't help to fall in love with the amazing animals here." Wilson said.  

The shelter is currently housing 192 dog and 215 cats.  "There are some beautiful animals currently in the shelter.  These are animals that were brought in as strays and never claimed or animals whose owners surrendered them for various reasons." Wilson said.  She added "One of the most common reasons we see animals surrendered is moving or changes in economic situations.  We have programs to try to help, but often it just isn't possible to keep the pets and families together.  Stray animals make up the largest percentage of animal intakes by far.  These animals are here by no fault of their own.  They aren't bad pets; they aren't broken pets.  They are homeless pets that need someone to love that will love them back."  Wilson said.  

There will be a second free adoption event on Veteran's Day, Wednesday, November 11 for anyone not able to attend Saturday's event.  The Wednesday event will be from 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the San Angelo Animal Shelter.  For more information on the events, please email [email protected] or call 325-656-PETS.