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Record Number Of Pets Adopted At MDAS Event

MEDLEY (CBS4) -  A record number of dogs and cats found their "fur"-ever home during a weekend adoption extravaganza at Miami-Dade Animal Services.

MDAS officials say 342 animals were adopted or picked up by rescues, as opposed to the usual 90 that are adopted out on a typical weekend.

"The support demonstrated by our community has been overwhelming, resulting in a record breaking number of lives being saved. This is an accomplishment that our shelter and entire community should be proud of," said Kathleen R. Labrada, Chief of Shelter Operations and Enforcement, Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department.

Normal adoption fees were waived for pets over four months of age. Animals under four months of age were adopted out at half the usual price.

Earlier this month county commissioners approved a $19 million dollar no-kill shelter program after voters overwhelmingly supported taxing themselves to pay for it. A few weeks later, commissioners voted against an increase in property taxes needed to fund the no-kill shelter.

"We are going to try to accommodate what the wishes of the people of Miami-Dade County were without raising their taxes," said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez.

Mayor Gimenez says he plans to find $4 million dollars in the budget to fund a scaled down version of the no-kill plan next year. Commissioners will vote on that funding in September.

A new animal services shelter with more space is still currently being built in Doral, it is expected to be completed in December of 2015.

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