NORFOLK, Va. — The Norfolk Animal Care and Adoption Center shared an overview of its 2020 adoption numbers on Thursday - and even with the pandemic, a higher percentage of pets were adopted, compared to 2019.
The shelter also euthanized about 70% fewer animals than the previous year. That's after accepting 200 animals from other shelters, who had been at risk of being euthanized.
Bureau Manager Michelle Dosson said the improvements were thanks, in large part, to members of the community who agreed to start fostering pets.
“Historically, we have relied on ourselves for life-saving but now we are engaging with our community more than ever,” Dosson wrote in the release. “They are the biggest piece of the puzzle.”
She said the "animal live release rate" for cats and dogs was near 90% in 2020, up about 15 percentage points from the previous year.
For six months out of the year, the shelter didn't have volunteers that normally help with day-to-day animal care. The employees covered those gaps, and were able to expand hours by about 44%, to allow people to meet with adoptable animals in a safe way.
The pet pantry, which supplies food to pet owners who are struggling to make ends meet, shared 6,000 pounds of food and pet supplies with the community.
