City officials say the first year of Fort Worth's partnership with PetSmart is a success.
Fort Worth opened a city-run adoption center inside a PetSmart near Interstate 20 and Hulen Street in April 2010.
The city had an 115.6 percent increase in pet adoptions. Officials also said that no adoptable pets were euthanized after the program began.
“We have not had to euthanize a healthy, adoptable animal at our shelter location,” said Scott Hanlan, assistant code compliance director. “We have a lot of work to do [still]. We've made great strides, but we're real proud of our accomplishments so far.”
From April 2010 to April 2011, 2,885 pets were adopted at the Fort Worth Pet Project adoption center at PetSmart and the city animal shelter in the Fort Worth's southeastern neighborhood.
The program has been such a success that PetSmart Charities is looking to use it as a national model for pet adoption in other cities.
Meanwhile, Fort Worth will expand the adoption program to a second location later this year.
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“We're expecting roll out of a second location in the north side of Fort Worth -- again, just looking to get people to come out in retail environments and find a pet they can take home with them," Hanlan said.
Paul Soderlund and his wife adopted the first pet in the program, Cleo, last April. They added Deedee a few months later and can’t say enough about their huskies or the program.
“It's a great program,” he said. “I’d like to see it at more and more of the stores, because there are a lot of great animals out there that need a home and need a little love.”
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the project, adoptions will be half price this weekend at the adoption center.
