Christ Yoder
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This year’s Clear the Shelters event gave the Waxahachie Animal Shelter the leeway it needed.
Terri Muniz, Waxahachie’s animal control supervisor, said the annual event led to the adoption of 49 animals from August 1 to September 19, and another 17 were sent to rescue organizations. Muniz said five more dogs were sent to a rescue group on Thursday.
Clear the Shelters is a national event that started seven years ago by NBC 5 and Telemundo 39 in which shelters waive adoption fees to encourage people to adopt an animal to help reduce overcapacity at shelters.
The campaign officially ran from August 23 to September 19. But Muniz said she started waiving fees at the Waxahachie Animal Shelter on August 1.
“We started early because due to COVID-19 last year, we didn’t do Clear the Shelters,” Muniz said. “So we started moving some of our pets early.”
Muniz said Thursday the shelter was reduced to two dogs, while it was at full capacity before the event.
“When we’re at full capacity it’s hard for the dogs because they’re not supposed to live in a kennel,” Muniz said.
She said the goal is still to reduce the animals in the shelter to zero.
“Sometimes it happens,” Muniz said. “Usually there is one or two left. “
Muniz said she was optimistic that the two remaining dogs would find homes once she was able to spread the word at two upcoming events at Waxahachie – Cops & Kids Picnic on October 9 and the Texas Country Reporter Festival October 23.
In fact, she said word of mouth is crucial in keeping occupancy rates low at the shelter.
“People still don’t understand that we have shelter,” Muniz said. “But we’ve been here since the early 1950s.”
Muniz said difficult times such as the COVID-19 pandemic make it difficult to adopt a pet.
“When you have a hard time on people, the cost of adoption can hurt people,” Muniz said. “So we try to make it known that we have good dogs. This is where we need help the most.
