CLEWISTON - Animal shelters are often overwhelmed as many stray, abused and lost pets are taken in every week. If you are looking to add a four-legged friend to your family, adopting an animal not only means you’d give an animal a second chance, but you’re also helping to make room for others. The cost of your adoption goes directly to the shelter.

Locally, pets can be adopted from Clewiston Animal Control (CAC). Recently, CAC issued a statement regarding their holding, intake, and outcome procedures to better inform the public of how the system works.

The statement explained that CAC’s, “Standard “stray hold” period is 5 days, which includes weekends & holidays. After 5 days if an animal is not claimed by owner then that animal legally belongs to Clewiston Animal Control. From there we decide if the animal will be adopted, transferred to rescue or euthanized. If an animal is owner surrendered to us then the animal automatically surpasses the 5 day hold and immediately belongs to CAC.

“Once an animal belongs to CAC we evaluate its behavior to make the best decision for the animal. This helps us to inform rescues of the good, bad and ugly of every pet to assure they have the best opportunity for a new start.”

A few of the specific traits they look for during an evaluation include: resource guarding, aggression towards people or other animals, energy level, and safety around younger children or small animals, “This helps us and the rescues place the animal in the best environment.”

“Clewiston Animal Control only associates and transfers animals to reputable 501c3 rescues with documentation proof and vet references. 501c3 are non profit, NO KILL shelters, or rescues. CAC does do adoptions to approved applicants with verified home inspection only,” the statement read.

If you’d like to adopt, or have any questions for CAC, you may call and speak with one of the Animal Control Officers, Jamie Wright or Amanda Nelson. To reach them, call the Clewiston Police Department at 863-983-1474 #0, then ask for Animal Control.