In effort to rehome more pets, Humane Society opens up seven days a week

More dogs and cats are hoping to find homes in 2019, spurring The Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County to expand its hours.

The animal shelters' hours were expanded to seven days a week with new hours beginning Jan. 12. The new hours of operation will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday, a Humane Society news release stated. The Humane Society is hoping a change of hours will enable the nonprofit to home more animals and create consistency for families looking to adopt a pet.

"Putting the animals first is a key priority," The Humane Society CEO Stuart Earley stated in the news release. "Sunday is the one day of the week when many families can come together to choose a pet, and over the last six months, I have encountered many people who can't visit the shelter on a weekday or even on a Saturday. It is important that we provide customer-friendly service to ensure more pets find their forever homes."

The Humane Society's phone hours will also expand with the new hours being 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.

The Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County has been in operation since 1888. The nonprofit shelters nearly 10,000 animals every year and maintains more than a dozen human programs, which include;

•A low-cost spay/neuter service

•A pet food pantry

•Pet adoptions

The Humane Society asks families to play ahead before adopting and to plan their visit in advance by visiting http://www.thehumanesociety.org.