A Pennsylvania animal shelter hailed their community for helping them achieve a “true miracle” ahead of Christmas as kennels were nearly completely cleared.
Adams County SPCA in Gettysburg announced on Facebook all dogs had been adopted and only one cat remained after a two-week adoption spree.
They said the stray kitten left behind had been rescued “a little bit ago” and remained available for adoption.
The shelter said: “Our community stepped up once again! This is the first time in 47 YEARS that the Adams County SPCA is empty let alone at Christmas time.
“It’s a true miracle. To say that we are beyond excited is an understatement.”
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The local SPCA celebrated by sharing a snap of their ecstatic staff smiling as they kneeled next to the empty kennels.
Staff said 600 pets were adopted out of the shelter over the past year while another 125 were reunited with their families.
They also confirmed they will now be opening their doors to animals from neighbouring shelters to “relieve some of their stress.”
However, the Adams County SPCA is one of a few lucky shelters in the United States to have experienced a surge in adoptions over recent weeks.
Animal shelters have instead witnessed an increasing number of owners surrendering their pets.
Mohawk Hudson Humane Society CEO Ashley Jeffrey Bouck said one Albany, New York shelter is now “beyond full.”
According to the ASPCA, the number of animals rescued or surrendered to shelters has been growing steadily since 2021.
National shelter statistics database Shelter Animals Count estimated the animal population in kennels across the United States increased by nearly a quarter-million over the past 12 months.
Bissell Pet Foundation’s Kim Alboum said: “The economy right now is really challenging for a lot of families.
“And with the housing crisis, people are losing their homes and are having to downsize or move in with others. And this is a recipe for disaster for people that have larger dogs.”
