The Smith County Animal Shelter will join others around the country on Saturday in hosting a Clear the Shelter event to encourage dog adoptions.

Le’Kisha Stinecipher, Smith County Animal Control and Shelter coordinator, said the Clear the Shelter event started in 2014 in the Dallas area. It has since spread across the country and last August, 1,000 shelters participated and 80,000 animals were adopted.

“There is a large need for our department to participate,” she said, adding that the summer months are the shelter’s busiest time of year to take in dogs.

The Smith County Animal Shelter currently has 59 dogs that need to be adopted.

The Smith County Animal Shelter will host its event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 18. The shelter is located at 322 E. Ferguson St. in Tyler. Adoptions are free.

To view all of the dogs available at the county’s shelter, visit https://www.smith-county.com/Home/Components/PhotoAlbum/PhotoAlbum/2/390#ad-image-27