Have you been considering adding a furry four-legged member to your family? If so, now is the time: Dallas Animal Services is over capacity for dogs and nearly over capacity for cats, and, Friday-Sunday, April 19-21, is offering the added bonus of a $50 gift card to those who adopt bigger dogs and older cats to help clear some space. But get there quick; only the first 100 adopters are eligible.

Like many shelters across the country, Dallas Animal Services is facing high intake numbers for dogs, according to a press release from the city of Dallas. Currently, the shelter is at 133 percent capacity for dogs and 73 percent capacity for cats, with large-breed dogs and adult cats making up the majority of the population. So, to encourage the public to adopt, Friends of Dallas Animal Services is offering a $50 Petco gift card to the first 100 adopters who adopt a dog over 30 pounds or a cat six months or older from the shelter between Friday and Sunday.

“While adoptions are strong and our foster program is thriving, intake continues to outpace our outcomes,” explained Paul Ramon, DAS’ interim director. Last weekend alone, DAS received 156 dogs and 79 cats between Friday and Sunday, he said, adding, “We are encouraging the public to save a life and choose adoption when adding a new pet to their family.”

DAS is still “firmly committed” to its BeDallas90 campaign, with the mission to achieve a 90 percent live release rate, the press release said, noting that DAS “achieved the 90 percent benchmark for fiscal year 2019 to 2020 and hopes to continue regaining ground in the coming year.”

In March 2024, the live release rate was 87 percent for dogs and cats.

Anyone interested in adopting or fostering dogs from Dallas Animal Services should come to 1818 North Westmoreland Road,  from 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

To see all of the adoptable pets at the shelter and learn more about how to help DAS, visit BeDallas90.org.

— Tammye Nash