Free dogs! Cumberland County animal shelter waiving adoption fee for all big dogs until Saturday

Elaine Smith, director of Cumberland County Animal Control, said 17 dogs have been adopted this week after the shelter posted to Facebook.

"It's definitely helped. We are very pleased that people have helped us out with their hearts and homes," she said.

Smith said pet owners surrender their animals to the shelter frequently, while other owners let their animals run loose, which increases the likelihood of them mating with other animals or getting lost and being picked up by animal control officers.

According to Smith, the Cumberland County shelter takes in more animals than almost any other North Carolina shelter – around 11,000 animals each year. It can only hold 300 animals at a time. Even with the help of fosters, volunteers and rescue groups, there is not enough space to house all stray animals.

Before Smith was director, she said that the shelter did not really do any promotional events. If the animal shelter got too full, the animals had to be euthanized.

"[That's] something we really don't like to do," she said.

She said that there is a misconception that free dogs are used for crime or dog fighting rings. Smith said that is unlikely because the dogs at the shelter are spayed, neutered and microchipped.

"What have found the same quality of adopters, whether its free or full-priced," she said.

In Robeson County, 4,085 animals were euthanized for space in 2019, according to county records, with a breakdown of 1,195 dogs and 1,890 cats. In Cumberland County, a total of 3,241 dogs and cats were euthanized in 2019. And Dani Bowen, Animal Services Director in Warren County, said at least 50 dogs and 100 cats were killed in the Warren shelter to make space for more animals in 2019.

In an effort to prevent as many animals from being euthanized as possible, the Cumberland County Animal Shelter is also planning on having more promotional events in May and June.