Florida Animal Shelter Boasts Empty Kennels ‘for the First Time in History’ After All Dogs Adopted

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For the first time in history, the Florida-based Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control doesn’t have a single dog sitting in one of their kennels waiting to be adopted.

The shelter announced the incredible news on April 14, confirming that one of their three dog kennels had been completely emptied of four-legged friends waiting for someone to come and take them home.

“An incredible and joyful thing happened today....For the first time in the history of Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, we have completely emptied one of our three dog kennels!” they wrote on their Facebook page. The post continued:

“This amazing milestone was made possible by the help and support of our entire community! Thank you to the shelter staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to care for, find homes for, and advocate for the pets who come through these doors; thank you to our incredible foster parents who open their heart and homes to thousands of pets each year; thank you to everyone who has opted to adopt a shelter pet - whether it be here or from any of the other amazing organizations out there; thank you to our placement partner organizations far and wide - without them, this would not be possible.”

There are still two cats, two horses and a pig waiting to be adopted at the shelter, being cared for using proper social distancing practices during the virus outbreak that has hit the globe. But all of the stray and rescued dogs that were waiting for someone to come and love them have been picked up and brought to new homes—something that every shelter hopes to see happen but hadn’t been a reality for the Florida-based organization until this point.

The story comes in the wake of shelters across the globe announcing that they have been running out of adoptable animals for people to come in and take home. The phenomenon has been one of the unexpected positive side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic’s containment efforts, as families and solo dwellers alike have stopped by shelters to pick up new furry friends to ride out social isolation and quarantine orders. With more people working from home and stuck inside nearly 24/7, thousands of households have found that they now have the time—and availability—to care for the animals that previously would have been too much extra work.

Not every family has been able to outright adopt the animals, of course. Many households will have to return to more hectic work schedules eventually, and would then struggle to provide the same love and attention that they have for the four-legged friends right now.

Those households have made perfect foster families, though. And the result is that even the animals that aren’t getting adopted outright just yet are getting some serious love and attention while they wait for a time when they can ultimately head to their forever homes. Add in the fact that animals can make social isolation a little bit more bearable and it’s truly a win-win for everyone involved!