Priscilla is a seven month old Shepherd waiting for a forever home. (Contributed Photo/ Nicholas Pet Haven)

Whitehouse resident Melissa Stelzer, a foster parent from Nicholas Pet Haven, has been fostering dogs for two years to help them find homes and raise awareness about the animal welfare crisis.

“It’s really good to try to clear these shelters, because to me, rescue dogs are the best dogs, and there’s so many that need homes right now,” Stelzer said.

Foster families with the no-kill animal rescue on Saturday brought their furry friends to Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ in Tyler for its annual Clear the Shelter event. During the event, adoption fees are waived and campaigns are run to bring in more foster families, donations and volunteers.

Clear the Shelters is a nationwide pet adoption and donation campaign that takes place annually in August. The 2024 campaign began on Aug. 10 and will run until Sept. 10.

Nicholas Pet Haven, a nonprofit organization, has been involved in shelter clearing events annually for at least five years, with Stanley’s being a significant source of support. There were dogs available for adoption or to foster at the event for the public to experience.

The organization committed to rescuing unwanted animals in East Texas since October 2013, faces capacity challenges typical of many animal shelters. To address this, they frequently host adoption events designed to connect animals with potential adopters.

“We are in the process right now of helping Smith County Animal Control clear the shelters,” said Cindy Nash, founder of Nicholas Pet Haven. “We are asking for the public to take part in this. What we’re going to ask for is fosters.”

The rescue is setting up a rotation system for fostering. Since securing long-term commitments is challenging, the plan involves having animals stay in different homes for two weeks at a time, rotating between them to maximize support.

During COVID, many people adopted dogs because they were lonely, but once things opened up, a lot of those dogs ended up abandoned or dumped, Nash said. Another issue is that not enough people are spaying and neutering their pets.

Nash stressed there’s a big need for more fosters and donations because of the surge in stray and abandoned pets. She pointed out how crucial community involvement is and the difficulties animal control is dealing with.

Every day, there are reports of dogs being abandoned or found running loose, Stelzer said. Coming from out of state, where laws are stricter, the level of animal abuse, abandonment and euthanasia here is shocking.

“It’s really heartbreaking to see,” Stelzer said. “We’ve just never seen anything like it. It really is critical, and I don’t think a lot of people realize how bad it is.”

The Stelzers have fostered nearly 40 dogs. It is a commitment, and while it can be a bit challenging to navigate at first, it’s not overly difficult. It just takes a bit of adjustment. In the end, it’s completely worth it — probably the most fulfilling thing they have ever done, she added, because “you see the good that comes out of what you’re doing.”

“Letting the first one go was the hardest, but we were ready to jump right back in right after, ,” Stelzer said. “I love dogs, so it’s always fun to have new dogs in the house, and really seeing them go off to their forever homes is really an incredible experience.”

People interested in volunteering, fostering, adopting, or donating to Nicholas Pet Haven can find more information on their Facebook page or their website at www.nicholaspethaven.org.