GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Guilford County Animal Shelter is almost at capacity and it needs your help.
The shelter says 41 pets were surrendered yesterday. Management is concerned that if another big influx of pets comes in, they'll be forced to turn animals away.
"If we had another day like yesterday today, and another day like today tomorrow, we would be completely full," said shelter employee Lisa Lee.
Lee says during the summer months, it's important to be responsible for your animals when you let them outside.
"A lot of them came here and they don't have microchips. We don't know who their owners are. They didn't come here in bad condition. Many of them are in perfect condition. They somehow got loose and found themselves here and the owners don't know where they are. So microchip, microchip, microchip."
Microchips are small implants that store a number for the animal and its owner.
"If the animal is microchipped, we can track the number, find who the owner is and we can return the animal in the field to his home," said Jorge Ortega, the shelter's director.
Less animals in the shelter means more time and resources for staff to care for pets without a home.
"We know we're not going to clear out the shelter, and we know we have animals here that have to be here," Ortega explained. "But the less animals we have under our care, the better care we're going to be able to provide to those that are here."
Starting Friday, the shelter is running a no-fee special if you get a pet that has been in the shelter for longer than 30 days. The promotion runs through June 29.
