SMRAS helps more pets find homes during campaign

The San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter (SMRAS) is participating in an annual nationwide campaign called Clear the Shelters.

From Aug. 10 to Sept. 10, it waived adoption fees for all ready-to-go pets, though pre-adoption fees still apply. Ready-to-go pets are cats and dogs that are spayed/neutered, up-to-date on vaccinations, microchipped and have their vet exam completed.

The goal of Clear the Shelters, which is celebrating its tenth year, is to help pets find homes.

“The shelter is not the best place for an animal to be,” Christie Banduch, animal services manager, said. “Any time we have some event, our focus is to get animals into homes where they deserve to be and where they need to be, instead of at a shelter.”

Banduch said SMRAS has participated in Clear the Shelters for over four years. The campaign also helps make room for more animals. As an open admissions shelter, SMRAS does not have an intake limit, so it takes in animals even when it is full.

According to Banduch, since the event started, the total capacity population decreased from 160-170% to 110-120% as of Aug. 26.

“We’re trying to get some animals adopted so that we can make some space,” Banduch said. “There’s no more room at the end right now… so we want to get some out into homes so that we have space for some inevitable new guys that are gonna come in.”

The campaign attracts residents and students to the shelter. Shaniya Davis, animal sciences senior, followed SMRAS’ Instagram and found its post about the special. She wanted a cat as an emotional support animal for her depression and anxiety.

Reading the description of Enchanted, a 4-month-old cat with a shy and sweet nature similar to hers, and getting to hold her convinced Davis she found the one.

“I plan to take her wherever I go if we have that close bond,” Davis said.

Bentleigh Inocencio, criminal justice junior, discovered the event on Facebook. She came to the shelter to find a cat for her and her roommate since they both wanted a companion while in their apartment. Although she wanted to take advantage of the waived fees, the cat she chose was not considered ready-to-go.

“I’m not even getting [a pet] that the fee is waived [for],” Inocencio said. “I’m getting one that I’m still gonna have to pay [the adoption fee], but it’s fine because they all need good homes.”

The San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12-7 p.m. and Wednesday and Saturday from 12-5 p.m. For more information on adoptable cats and dogs, visit https://www.sanmarcostx.gov/3259/Adoptable-Animals.