"10 @ issue" starts now. >> they sit and wait and wait. thousands of cats and dogs, kittens and puppies, desperate to spring from their cages to start again with a new family. one that will love them and care for them. but for too many pets, the wait ends here. clearing the shelters means saving lives. >> there are thousands of wonderful, wonderful pets who land in shelters every year through no fault of their own. >> good morning. welcome to nbc "10 @ issue." i'm keith jones. today we have a very special show about animals in need and nbc10 and telemundo 62 have

teamed up with dozens of animal shelters in the area to help find homes for local pets. they're waiting to start a new life with a new family. it's called clear the shelters. it is happening saturday, august 15th from 10:00 to 4:00 p.m. that's when they'll reduce the adoption fees and waive spay and neuter costs in hopes of finding homes for thousands of animals in the shelters. dr. brittany watson is a veterinarian where she's a director of shelter animal medicine. dr. watson is here to help us understand what it means to adopt a shelter pet. thank you so much for being here. i really appreciate it. >> thank you for having me. >> no question. so my first question for you, really there's no way to perfectly assess when you walk into that shelter whether it's the perfect pet. so how do you make that search more exact? >> i think being systematic, about looking at your lifestyle, what it looks like.

so a big decision what type of pet do you want, between a dog and cat, there's different needs for the animals going forward. so you need to think about what kind of lifestyle do you have, do you want to take your dog for a walk all the time, outside, and then once you made this decision you can think about what type of dog or cat you want. >> so don't even just go by this is really pretty animal. i'm going to pick this breed over another. you probably look at lifestyle. >> exactly. you know, the shelter -- the people who work at the shelter are a great resource for this. they know the animals, they're there. they can kind of lead you in a direction you would want. so maybe you want an older pet so they're a little more calm, settled in their ways. they can direct you towards the right pet. something like a lab is very, very exuberant. has a lot of energy. so may not be the best fit for someone who is older or has small children. maybe someone more active going forward. >> people say i want a younger puppy, because the life of the

dog and the cat but the older animals are in the most need, understandably. >> absolutely. older animals are kind of nice because puppies a lot of things that go with them. they go to the bathroom a lot, they have to go outside. a lot of time commitment to the puppy. be ready for that if you're going to get a puppy or a kitten. a totally different change in the commitment. >> speaking of which, i'm going to share some news right now. i'll be welcoming a puppy into my life this sunday. a miniature australia shepard. already named him charlie. we talked about the stresses of a puppy. i can talk about this right now. what's the general cost that an owner can expect here if they walk into that shelter? >> so when you're looking to adopt an animal, you have the initial cost. so that would be -- they'll need good. need litter boxes, toys. toys are just as important for these animals as having food and

water, a bed. i really like crates for positive crate training for them. they have a nice place to go. >> that's good. >> very important. and, you know, getting them set up with their veterinary care and training which is important. >> let's talk about the pet care really quick. i think people think right away you have to go when the animal is sick or the animal is behaving in a way you're not thinking about. you're saying that regular vet visits are so important. >> yes. in the long term they'll save money over the life of the animal and make your animal more healthy so it's a double benefit. coming into the veterinarian, i'll pick up on things, keep you up to date on vaccines. make sure they don't get sick from diseases that are preventable, make sure they don't get worms or fleas or those gross things we don't want in our household. >> right. >> it's really important and it's a great relationship to have too, because they can be a resource for you as you have this new animal in your home and you have 100 questions that are

coming up about how to take care of it. >> speaking of taking care of it, curbing bad behaviors. how important is training early? >> it's really important. your veterinarian can be a great resource for identifying a good trainer. we recommend positive reinforcement training. it is always about the animal making a positive choice and that ends up being a more effective training tool for your image. and when dealing with puppies socialization is very important. something that i always tell people is even though i'm a vet and i was trained in behavior i still take my animals to training classes. >> great lesson. >> yes. the reason is you get someone else's perspective. they help you through the process. it is really important to have that class atmosphere. it is 100% worth the investment. behavior is the number one reason that people surrender animals to shelters. so we want to keep the animals in the homes and having a

positive relationship with their owners. >> the last question i have for you though, over the lifetime of the pet what can potential owners expect if they head to the shelters on saturday? >> what we want people to think about, this is a long term commitment so it's good to have an emergency fund for your animal. so if it gets sick for some unknown reason, maybe it's a lab that ate your socks and is having some problems its costs a lot of money to go to the emergency vet. so we recommend people have a nice little nest egg they can use if something pops up. remember you'll have your yearly care that goes through and make sure you're keeping up with it for the entire life of the animal. it's a special bond. it's a lovely chapter. >> is there one breed you can think about that "a" needs to be adopted and "b" might be a little easier for people to bring into their homes? is that an easy answer or -- >> no, that's a tough answer actually.

>> great. >> so, no, i think it's more about your individual households, your individual needs. what you want. you know, one dog can be the perfect match for one household. >> sure. >> and the next household it can be a disaster and that dog is not a good match. it can be the exact same dog, but two totally different families so i think it's about the communication. talk to the shelter workers, see if they have done personality testing. a lot of the shelters will do personality tests on the animals. just as a way for the adopter to come in and say, okay, this is the personality dog or cat that matches this and gives you a bit of a guideline as to what that dog in the cage might be like outside of the cage. >> see, i was hoping personally you said miniature australian shepherd. so you mentioned an emergency fund. out of curiosity, if you don't mind me asking, what's a good number if you have a puppy, or

any dog? >> it's hard to say. when you walk into an emergency clinic because it's an emergency clinic and they're highly trained and they need to be there at all hours of the day and responding that's at least a $500 fee walking in. >> wow. >> so you need to have enough money in addition to that to pay for the treatment and the care so it can add up. there are options with clinics so there are care credit. which you can apply to if you would need it. but, you know, the more you can have as far as the nest egg the better. you don't know what will pop up. >> it's the lifetime of the dog or the cat commitment here which is so huge when we're clearing the shelters. dr. watson, thank you for joining me. i appreciate that. here's how you can help right now. raise awareness by sharing clear the shelters on social media. how do you do that? well, make sure you use that #clear the shelters. send us pictures of your pets, videos. come out saturday, august 15th to welcome a new friend into your family. for shelters and locations and

fees tap on the nbc10 news app. >> there are other ways to help a shelter pet than adopting. you can donate items off a wish list which is listed on the websites, things such as peanut butter, towels and sheets are in need. even coming and volunteering time to socialize shelter pets really can change a life and make it more impactful for the shelter pet when they're meeting a potential family. >> next on our special edition of "10 @ issue," kitten season. why something so darn cute is so very bad.

this is "10 @ issue." >> we are in the middle of kitten season. it's when cats give birth, flooding shelters with unwanted kittens. locally, shelters can see up to 100 kittens in a single day.

it happened because too many cats aren't spayed or neutered. melissa levy is from paws. it's a no kill shelter for homeless and unwanted animals. they have placed thousands of new pets in homes every year. joining melissa as we zoom out, there she is. smarty. a 1-year-old tabby cat found in south philly who is looking for a home. melissa, thank you so much for joining me. >> thank you for having me. >> thank you, smarty, too. i know you're so patient over there. what is kitten season? >> so kitten season is the time of year, it begins in the spring and continues all summer long into the fall when litter after litter of litter of kittens pours into the shelters across the country. those kittens are too small to be -- to survive in the shelter. they need to weigh a certain amount to be spayed or neutered. so they really need a temporary

home in order to grow to an adoptable age and to be healthy enough to finally move on to their permanent home. so kitten season is when we're reaching out to people to open their homes for a short period of time, two to eight weeks, gives the kittens a chance to survive and grow to the adoptable age. it makes room in the shelter for the next litter of kittens that will pour in. >> as a foster, do you have to have experience with a cat or can a new one be as experienced? >> we try to walk you through the process and provide as much support as we can. so it's really -- it's a wonderful experience because you're not making a life long commitment to these animals. you're making a short term commitment, you're saving their lives and creating a shelter space for others. you do get some support along the way. all the medical care, behavior tips. tips on how to integrate the

kittens with other animals at home. >> so for two to eight weeks the process. >> that's right. >> what is the adoption process like for people who are interested? >> so we certainly that kittens are adorable, and they're flooding into the shelters but there are lots of older cats and dogs, so we don't want to forget about them. everybody i think is geared toward making it as streamlined as possible, as quick as possible so that we can send animals home with good matches, going into homes that are sort of ready for them and appropriate for them so that it's a good match that will last forever. every shelter is different. with us it's a paper application. you tell us what your experience with pets is and we start to introduce you to certain animals that would be a good match and get to know them and off you go.

>> so you really care about the animals. let's say i'm interested in adopting smarty but i need help with the cost. is there any kind of assistance available? >> on a clear the shelters day, we have a special day where we're waiving fee, we're trying to make it as easy as possible for people to bring a new pet into their lives. on a regular basis there's a nominal adoption fee. it's certainly less than you would spend in order to provide the cat or dog with all the shots and the spay, neuter and the microchip that you would be paying for. it's an adoption fee that covers that. we want to make sure an adopter is prepared to make the investment long term. providing proper nutrition, proper toys. just like dr. watson mentioned before. pet care going forward. you know, there is a financial component to owning a pet that we want to make sure that people are prepared for, but we don't want to suggest that you have to have a tremendous amount of money in order to have a pet.

we believe everyone who has love to give can have a pet and we also have a low cost clinic and there are low cost clinics throughout the region and the country aimed at helping people who really need some -- you know, who are struggling financially, but still have pets they love that they want to provide proper care to. >> and lest we forget to, paws -- it's not only cats but we are talking about dogs here too. >> yeah. >> so the pet owners who adopt a pet like smarty, let's say they need some help, they're strapped but in love with smarty, they give her so much love but may not have the financial capability, is there any kind of assistance available for them? you said there was. >> absolutely. so we operate two low cost clinics in philadelphia. one in the northeast philadelphia and the grays area and the whole purpose is to help people who are struggling, who have pets, who need -- who are

either sick or not spayed or neutered. we need to keep them in the home and part of the family, so "a" they're not producing more litters that are going to end up in shelters. or, you know, sort of taking up spaces that other animals on the street are vying for and also so they can remain as cherished pets as opposed to being surrendered to shelters. we're trying to stop the flow into the shelters in the first place. that's the only way we'll eventually achieve our mission of making philadelphia a no-kill city is if we reduce the number of animals flowing into the shelters which makes it more likely for those who land there to be rescued. >> and really quick, the opposite of what happens here, so when smarty doesn't get put into a shelter, what's the life like on the streets? >> it's a tough life. as you can imagine. there are hazards, cars, and other people who may not do the

right thing to the animals. a disease they could be exposed to. an animal is not meant to live on the street. they're social beings, they want to be with other people and other animals. the idea is how many different ways can we come at the problem, either by rescue or providing services for those who need it the most to give them a chance at the life that they want and they deserve. >> great place to end it there. melissa levi, thank you so much for joining us. and smarty. next, how rescued animals are being trained to help humans in ways that may surprise you. be right back.

i was at my shop tied up with a customer when i realized the time. i had to get to the bank before it closed, so i made a break for it. when i got out it was almost closing time. traffic was bad. i knew i was cutting it close.

but it was ok. i use td bank. it's got the longest hours and stays open an extra ten minutes every day. i'm sid. and i bank human at td bank. this is "10 @ issue." >> local nonprofits main line deputy dog helps those with physical challenges train their own dogs to be fully certified

service dogs and that includes shelter dogs as well. it's a group that's doing important work right here in our area, it's a group of course close to my heart too. full disclosure here i'm fortunate to serve on that board. joining me are three good friends of mine. the main director and also brian anderson and his service dog rosie. thank you so much, guys, for being here. i really appreciate it. brian, how you doing? my first question for you, brian, it would be a great place to start. so how did you meet rosie, number one, and number two, how did you come to work with us at main line deputy dog? >> i was in a bad car accident. i was going through -- a lot of depression. not being able to work and stuff like that. and my ex and my daughter got her for me. they thought it would cheer me up. and when we went to get her, i'm -- i can't take care of myself right now, how can i take

care of a dog, but she shaved my life. brought me out of a dark place and we're good friends. she's so smart, my mom said you should turn her into the service dog. she looked around, she found main line deputy dog. that's how it all started. >> and what does rosie does for you specifically? what kind of help? >> everything. i take dizzy spells, i fall over. so she'll wear -- she'll make everybody aware around me, you know, that i'm having one. she'll bark, howl, she'll -- >> wow, she's a sensitive. >> so she knows. it is nice having her with me. i feel more protected. >> she's so cute too. sitting here and hanging out right now. doesn't even care. very good. and mark, tell me, shelter dogs are huge in this effort too. >> right. right. so we're all -- we're training organizations that raise their own puppies and we rescue dogs,

all locally in this area. so it's good to have a person who can train their own service dog build that relationship from the very beginning. that's why we get the rescue dogs and match them with the appropriate person. >> and we were talking about this before, temperament which is huge and willingness to -- >> willingness to please. >> to please, which is huge. >> there's probably number one. and also going to shelters and looking for confidence. that might have dogs that might have gone through that don't have as much confidence as other dogs, so once i choose a dog at a rescue i then take them back to see our trainer who is training for 30 years. what a good dog. and so we do a lot of testing with them before we match them with the person and of course their size. brian needs a larger dog because he needs walking support. >> this runs the gamut of people in need. not just for scenarios like brian's, but can serve a multiple of purposes.

fulfill a multitude of needs. >> right. we do two, mobility dogs which are helping someone like brian and then psychiatric service dogs that work for people like coming back from serving in the military who has ptsd or someone who -- for any reason. any type of anxious, depression. that a dog can help them deal with those issues. just not providing emotional support, but providing tasks for people. >> shelter dogs, you're looking for temperament, eagerness to please. those can apply to anyone who wants a pet. >> sure. >> thank you for coming in here. i appreciate it. mark and brian. rosie, very good job. if you want to volunteer or support main line deputy dog, call 601-296-9243. right there on your screen. also, you can find them on the

web by punching in mldd.org. we'll be right back.

this is nbc "10 @ issue." >> here's how you can help save a shelter pet. nbc10 and telemundo 62 have teamed up with the dozens of animal shelters to help you find the new family member. it is called clear the shelters, it is happening this coming saturday, august 15th, from 10 to 4 p.m. there will be reduced adoption fees to find homes for the dozens in the shelters. well, that's it for this special edition of "10 @ issue." if there's something you think we should be discussing, let us know. we're on twitter. i'm keith jones. thank you so much for watching and have a great weekend.

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