PHOENIX — Animal shelters in Arizona are overflowing with dogs and cats looking for loving, "fur-ever" homes.
That's why 12 News and other NBC and Telemundo stations across the country are teaming up with shelters nationwide for the fifth-annual Clear the Shelters adoption drive on Saturday.
More than 1,400 shelters and rescues nationwide have registered to participate in this year's campaign. Here in Arizona, shelters from Flagstaff to Tucson are hoping to get animals into loving homes on Saturday.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, about 1.5 million animals—860,000 cats and about 670,000 dogs—are euthanized each year due to shelter overcrowding.
But you can help save these animals and give them a loving home.
More than 100,000 pets were adopted from over 1,200 shelters nationwide during last year's Clear the Shelters event alone. Since 2015, Clear the Shelters has helped more than 256,000 pets find loving homes.
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And by adopting a shelter animal, two lives are saved: "Every single pet that is adopted frees shelter staff up to work with and prepare the next pet for potential adoption," said Kenny Lamberti with The Humane Society.
What are you waiting for? Head down to your nearest animal shelter participating in the Clear the Shelters adoption drive and take home a "fur-ever" friend on Saturday.
Let's see how many animals we can save this year!