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Adoption events are planned as Guilford County animal shelter nears capacity

Guilford County Animal Services currently has a capacity of nearly 400 cats and dogs. Several events and initiatives are being planned to help bring those numbers down. Photo courtesy of Guilford County Animal Services via Facebook.

Guilford County Animal Services is making some changes to encourage more adoptions. After a recent spike in pet surrenders and more strays, the shelter is near capacity.

The facility on Guilford College Road has seen an increase in the number of cats and dogs over the past month and a half. Currently, there are nearly 400.  Shelter officials say spring and summer can be busier, but lately, they've seen more pet surrenders due to financial hardships and housing issues. Adoptions are also down compared to previous years.

Guilford County Animal Services Director Jorge Ortega says this comes at a time when the facility is facing staffing challenges. They're in the process of filling 14 vacant positions, including two veterinarians.

He says several initiatives are underway to increase adoptions, including participation in a national event known as “Empty the Shelters.”

"What we are trying to do is encourage the community to come and get to know the dogs and cats that we have and hopefully make an addition to their families," says Ortega. "This event goes for three weeks. We are extending our adoption hours as well.”

Those extended adoption hours are 12 - 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

Ortega says Animal Services can also provide resources to help owners keep their pets, and mobile pet assistance centers are being offered throughout the county.

Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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