Dallas Animal Services is way, way over capacity and offering $150 gift cards for certain adoptions and rescues as they expect to receive hundreds of dogs over the Fourth of July holiday.
The animal shelter said it currently has 482 dogs sharing 300 kennels and it is offering $150 Amazon gift cards for the next 150 dogs over 40 pounds that find new homes.
“We had a heartbreaking meeting yesterday morning,” said Mary Martin, assistant director at DAS. “We only have two empty kennels left, and we anticipate receiving hundreds of dogs in the coming week as dogs are scared out of their yards by fireworks."
The shelter urges all pet owners to ensure their pets are microchipped or at least have an ID tag. Over the holiday, the shelter recommends ensuring that the pet has a place to feel safe indoors during storms and fireworks and never letting the animal into the yard unattended.
Get DFW local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC DFW newsletters.
"We’re proud of our country and look forward to celebrating how far we’ve come as a nation, but the Fourth of July is not a fun week in animal welfare," Martin said. "We have an incredibly sad week ahead of us and we’re calling on the community to take that patriotic energy and use it to help us save lives. You will be our hero if you pick up a large dog this week.”
The shelter said those who adopt the larger dogs will receive their gift card via email after the pet has been in their home for two weeks. Rescuers who pick up a dog weighing 40 pounds or more will receive the gift card immediately.
"This is our way of saying thank you for your support and commitment to these animals," Martin said.
