CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Animal Care and Control said its kennels are the fullest they've been all year.
"It's been a rough summer," Melissa Knicely, the public information officer for CMPD Animal Care and Control, said.
This week, the agency's "dog kennel dashboard" reported having 329 dogs in its care.
Knowing pet adoption is not option for all families, CMPD is encouraging people to consider hosting a dog for a staycation. These temporary visits to your home lasts from two to five days.
Staycations give the dogs a welcome relief from shelter life and also provides the shelter with valuable information about the dog, according Knicely.
Knicely said the staycations help them gather information about the animals such as how the dog behaves with other dogs or kids. That's valuable information they cannot experience inside the kennel, she explained.
Nicole Storey has hosted several staycations. She was relieved to hear her most recent dog was adopted by a forever family.
"We just had a dog named Echo, who is absolutely wonderful," she said.
Storey posts about the dogs and their personalities on social media. She hopes others share the post and maybe even adopt the dog. For her, it's the best way to help animals in need.
"My husband and I have an agreement that I will not be adopting another dog," Storey said. "So staycation for me is really helping these dogs to tell their story so that they can find their forever homes."
Knicely said even temporarily hosting a dog can free up space in the shelter. This allows them to save other dogs.
"We're going to save more lives by that dog being on a staycation," she said.
To host a staycation, you must fill out a form but otherwise Knicely said it's a simple process.
"It's easy and it works," she said.
Contact Ben Thompson at bthompson@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.