BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — You could call it a doggone miracle: The SPCA Serving Erie County has seen a 41% increase in adoptions in one week.
Between Monday, March 16 and Sunday, March 22nd, 118 animals were adopted: The same time period a week earlier saw a total of 84 adoptions.
"Even if it isn't the best time in their lives to adopt, [community members] have decided they're going to adopt and bring an animal in," said Gina Lattuca, spokesperson for the SPCA serving Erie County.
The ECSPCA began waiving adoption fees on March 17th, however Lattuca does not believe that was the primary motivating factor for this adoption surge.
Lattuca believes that when they announced they might not have people in-house to care for the animals, the community stepped up to the plate.
"In this community, people do more than just put comments on social media. They do more than just talk about it. They actually put action behind it," Lattuca said.
And it wasn't just cats and dogs being adopted.
Among the animals adopted were two birds, four ducks, three rabbits, two bearded dragons, and a turtle.
A tortoise named Betty White and a mouse named Thumbelina were also given a new home.
There are no longer any dogs up for adoption, however there are still 15 cats and two turtles that need a forever home.
