Clear the Shelters Day in New England

Necn and Telemundo Boston partnered with animal shelters throughout New England for "Clear the Shelters" Day on Saturday, an initiative by NBC-owned stations to help find homes for the hundreds of homeless pets waiting to find loving homes.

The MSPCA Angel in Boston had plenty of animals up for adoption- and we're not just talking about cats and dogs.

"We also have guinea pigs and chinchillas, ferrets, hamsters, rats, mice, birds, parrots, we get reptile sometimes, we've seen tarantulas. There's really nothing that we don't see," explained Alyssa Krieger of the MSPCA.

And that means the opportunities to find a forever friend were huge. Catherine DiCarlo said adoption is the best option.

"There's tons of animals out there floating through the streets you can see that aren't cared for, so this is a better option," DiCarlo said.

Nancy Radden came to the MSPCA just to see what options are out there.

"My dog brings me a lot of joy, so if I can bring that to another animal, that would be great," Radden explained.

Clear the Shelters Day saw 439 pets get adopted across New England.

Across New England in New Hampshire, it was a mad dash when doors opened at 9 a.m. at the SPCA in Stratham. There were 70 adoptions in just the first three hours.

7-year-old Aaron Farago had to promise his mom that he'd take on the responsibility of a dog before they adopted.

"Oh I can't wait, I can't believe we are taking another dog home. I'm so excited," Farago said. "I'm going to have to feed him, I'm going to have to take him on walks and exercise him, and take him out to go poop."

But for those who've had pets before, they know all the work is well worth it.

On Clear the Shelters Day, the line outside the shelter in Westbrook, Maine, was out the door.

And in Maine at the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, 100 people lined up to be there when the shelter opened. The shelter said they didn't know what to expect, but that the day's turnout far exceeded their expectations.

"The line has been amazing. We're just blown away," said Patsy Murphy of the ARL.

Cynthia and Rob woke up at 4 a.m. to make the drive from Bethel, Maine. She had her eye on a specific puppy and even scoped her out at the shelter days earlier.

"It's absolutely heartwarming to see an animal who didn't have a home before we opened to make a connection with their new human companion and to watch them just embrace a new beginning," Murphy continued. "It's great to have a day like today to celebrate, but to remind folks we're here every day, and if you can adopt- adopt, donate, or volunteer."

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