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With space tight at shelter, North Fork Animal Welfare League encourages residents to consider adopting or fostering

The North Fork Animal Welfare League will welcome nearly two dozen dogs and several cats this weekend, as the shelters take in a deluge of animals from kill shelters in Georgia.

The volume isn’t unusual, said director Gabby Stroup, who noted the dogs and cats coming represent the best from those shelters. But space at the shelter is tight. NFAWL has put out a call for people to adopt or foster, and hopefully free up some space. 

“We have about eight kennels open,” said Ms. Stroup. “We can start setting up crates in some rooms if we need to, we’ll kennel up two dogs together if we need to, just to help these shelters out. They’re so full, they have animals stacked up on top of animals in places and they have to euthanize for space.”

NFAWL works closely with two shelters in Georgia and have saved around 730 animals from euthanization so far, according to Ms. Stroup. “We’ll try to help them out when they get real tight, even if it makes us a little tight.”

The easiest way for people to start the process to foster or adopt a pet from the shelter is to visit in person and search for a match. Phone calls and online applications are also options, but it’s “better to come in,” said Ms. Stroup. 

“The community has been really good about coming in and adopting. Even if we’re over capacity for a few days, we’re usually back down to where we’re fine,” she added.