The following has been released by the Lafayette Consolidated Government: 

LAFAYETTE, La.– The Lafayette Parish Animal Control Center (LACC) will host the first in a series of monthly “Adoption Events” on Saturday, August 20 from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. at its facility located at 613 W. Pont Des Mouton Rd. in Lafayette. The event is open to the public for those interested in adopting dogs, puppies, cats or kittens that are housed at the shelter.

Just days into his new administration, Lafayette’s Mayor-President Joel Robideaux announced his intention for LACC to become a no-kill shelter. The plan is to increase adoption and rescue rates and drastically reduce the euthanasia numbers. According to Robideaux, this weekend adoption opportunity is a step in the right direction towards achieving that goal. “Monthly Saturday adoption events are the obvious next steps for the shelter. We hope to make adopting an animal more appealing and convenient for the public by adding this weekend option,” said Robideaux.

Events of this type will facilitate more adoptions around people’s busy schedules. Additionally, Saturday adoptions will allow both the adopted animal and their new owner the remainder of the weekend to become acquainted with each other’s needs and schedules before resuming the regular work or school week on Monday.

The Robideaux administration has partnered with Target Zero, a national nonprofit organization which works with community animal shelters to implement best practices to decrease animal euthanasia and increase the rescue and adoption rates. In addition to increased adoption opportunities, other short-term efforts to achieving no-kill status for LACC include ramping up its collaboration with local organizations to adopt-out animals admitted to the shelter.

Achieving no-kill is not only a more humane approach according to Robideaux, but will also be more cost effective in the long run.

LACC will only be open for adoptions on the afternoon of August 20 and will not accept animals for intake on this day. Regular shelter hours are from 1 p.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information on the Lafayette Animal Control Center visit www.lafayettela.gov/aCPlus.