'Huge opportunity': Local shelters ready to help more pets after Clear The Shelters

National adoption event helped get dozens of local pets adopted

ROANOKE, Va. – Local animal shelters now have more room at a busy time of year thanks to another successful Clear The Shelters event.

WSLS partnered with the Roanoke Valley SPCA and Lynchburg Humane Society Saturday to bring awareness to the need for pets to be adopted.

NBC television stations across the country partner with local shelters every year.

The Roanoke Valley SPCA got 35 pets adopted, 33 on Saturday and two on Sunday.

The Lynchburg Humane Society got 42 pets adopted Saturday.

"Having that many animals leave on one day gives us a huge opportunity in the next few days to really reach out to municipal shelters, folks who might be in need, whatever the specific reason is, and help those dogs and cats," Roanoke Valley SPCA CEO Denise Hayes said.

She said this is especially important now.

"It's a huge opportunity, especially at this time of the year. Summer is really hard because there's a lot of cats and kittens especially in the shelters, so there's a lot of need for safe places for cats and kittens to go," Hayes said.

Since 2015, 250,000 pets have been adopted thanks to Clear The Shelters.