MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Animal Services is packed with dogs and cats desperate to find that forever home.
“Traditionally in the winter, intake has been a little down, but for some reason so far this year, that’s not a pattern we are seeing,” said MAS director Alexis Pugh. “In fact so far this year, our intake is up 30 percent compared to the same period of time last year.”
Now, she’s trying to get creative in finding the animals a home.
“We’re saying Daylight Saving Time is the perfect time for dog life saving time,” she said.
That means adoption fees are dropped to $25 and include shots, spay/neutering, microchips and more.
If you can’t adopt though, Pugh said they have other ways you can help, and you don’t have to leave your home.
They need volunteers with computers to type up animals’ profiles that hang on each kennel. They send you all the info. You just have to help put it together.
“It’s like a Tinder profile for an adopter walking through. They can quickly read and say this is the dog for me. I like what the bio says,” said Pugh.
She said they also need some volunteers to post on NextDoor for them.
Basically when they get a stray, they post the info int he neighborhood where the animal was found.
“We send you the list, you have access to our NextDoor, you go on and you upload it in the correct neighborhood. You’re done for the day. Our volunteers say it takes 10-15 minutes,” she said.
Pugh said any help goes a long way.
Some good news: adoptions are up almost 30 percent compared to this time last year and the euthanasia rate dropped 26 percent.
“That’s how we are going to make it a permanent change at Memphis Animal shelter. It’s with the whole community involved. I can play a role even if that’s sitting on my couch doing computer work,” she said.
If you’d like to help, email mas@memphistn.gov.
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