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#ClearTheShelters: Thousands of Pets Find Their Forever Homes

Thousands of animals around the region have found forever homes as part of the nationwide Clear the Shelters event.

As of 5 p.m. Saturday, more than 5,300 animals were adopted across New England.

At the New Hampshire SPCA in Stratham, a 2-year-old Great Pyrenees dog named Brownie needed a home, and by noon, he had one. He wasn't the only one getting a new home, either.

Noir, an adult cat, will finally be going home with Aveen Kenny.

"He's an adult cat, that makes our hearts proud because everyone wants the kittens, we want someone with more maturity," the Epping resident said.

Nine-year-old Molly Valenza took home a three-legged cat during last year's Clear the Shelters event, and couldn't wait to bring home a new friend again. This time, there were tears of joy in her eyes as she held her new kitten.

"I thought, 'Wow, Sugar would be a good name because she's so sweet,'" she told NBC10 Boston.

Staff at the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland in Maine say Clear the Shelters day feels like Christmas.

"We say it's the best day of the year," a staff member said. "Our whole team looks forward to it."

Martha woke up at 2:30 a.m. to be one of the first in line at the Animal Refuge League, and it appeared the early alarm was worth it as she walked out of the shelter with a puppy named Angel in her arms.

"I feel really happy," she said.

Hundreds of shelters in 20 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico have joined the one-day adoption drive. About 50,000 animals had been adopted across the country by noon on Saturday, and more than 80,000 pets were adopted across the U.S. during last year's event, but millions more need a forever home.

Click here for more resources on what you should do after you adopt a pet, tips on prepping your home for your new family member, photos of our employees with their furbabies and much more.

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