Melina Zuñiga

The Republic | azcentral.com

Priscilla Standz walked through Maricopa County Animal Care and Control's Phoenix shelter Sunday afternoon, examining the rows of furry candidates waiting for a home.

Seven years had passed since she put her pit bull down after it was diagnosed with cancer, she said. She hadn't considered adopting another pet until the county began offering free adoptions at its packed shelters Thursday.

"The $250 fee is hard to come up with, so this is perfect," said Standz, who later chose a fluffy, tan dog with a black snout.

The county at first limited the free-adoption offer to people wearing Halloween costumes. But the promotion evolved into a broader plea after overcrowding forced the shelters to double, triple and quadruple the number of animals in each kennel.

Jose Santiago, a Maricopa County Animal Care and Control spokesman, said officials were desperate to get the animals out of the shelter and into permanent homes before they hit euthanization deadlines.

"We met as a team and came to the harsh reality that if we did not put out a plea to the public, we would have to take drastic measures," he said.

As of Sunday afternoon, the free-adoption deal had led to more than 240 adoptions at the Mesa and Phoenix shelters, Santiago said. The offer is valid until 450 pets have been adopted.

The promotion drew Felicia Jonidis to the Phoenix shelter Sunday, looking for a small dog that would mesh with her family.

"A shelter is a good place to find a dog that needs extra love," she said.

Interested in adopting?

County shelters are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Locations:

West Valley Animal Care Center: 2500 S. 27th Ave., Phoenix.

East Valley Care Center: 2630 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Mesa.

Information: 602-506-7387 or pets.maricopa.gov.

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