LAKELAND, Fla. — When Kayelyn Austin spotted a two-year-old boxer named Millie, she instantly knew she was a good match.
"I'm just looking for a good dog to be protective and loving,” Austin said.
Adopting a pet from an animal shelter was the only route Austin considered when looking to expand her four-legged family.
"To help the animals that don't exactly get all the love that new ones do," she said.
Animal shelters across the country, including SPCA Florida in Lakeland, are facing an overcrowding crisis due to an overwhelming increase in owner surrenders and an influx of strays.
"We have a list of animals waiting to come in. This year has been one of the worst with people not being able to care for their animals due to housing issues or financial issues," said Randa Richter, Humane Programs & Public Media Director for SPCA Florida.
In hopes of encouraging more people to open their homes to a shelter pet, SPCA Florida is participating in the nationwide "Empty the Shelters" initiative hosted by the BISSELL Pet Foundation.
Through October 15, 345 shelters in 42 states will have reduced adoption fees of $50 or less.
SPCA Florida is lowering the option fee for dogs to $50 and only $30 adoption fees for cats. The discount is for pets two years and older. Richter said the older animals are the hardest to find forever homes for.
"It takes them a little bit longer to get out of the shelter. We all love our puppies and kittens," said Richter.
Richter said the shelter is over capacity. To help save lives, her team is doing all they can to prevent pet owners from having to surrender their animals.
"When people come to us, and they really want to keep their animal, but maybe they can't afford food for a month, or they can't afford vaccines that they need. We're going to help them out because an animal is better off in their home than in a shelter," Richter said.
