Come the start of the new year the Turlock Animal Services shelter is hoping there will be a lot of empty cages, as they embark on the second annual ‘Home for the Pawlidays.’

The program is sponsored by the Turlock Poker Room and is offering free adoptions through the month of December. The Turlock Poker Room is paying the fees for vaccinations, spay or neuter, and microchips for up to 100 animals at the shelter. The program ends Dec. 31.

“Pet adoption from a shelter is the best way to rescue animals that are in desperate need of placement,” said Turlock Police Department Animal Services Supervisor Glena Jackson. “Shelters across the country offer free adoptions in an attempt to clear the shelters for the holidays and place great animals into forever homes.  Without this offer of sponsorship that covers spay/neuter, vaccines and microchips we would not be able to participate in placing animals with new families. We are extremely grateful for TPR for offering this amazing opportunity to our community.”

As of Tuesday, the program had covered the adoption fees of 26 pets, 12 of which were kittens, which Jackson said was “astounding considering cat adoptions are typically low.”

“This was a very successful program last year with 56 animals adopted, none of which were reported as being returned,” Jackson said. “Actually, we have a couple of families that adopted a subsequent pet this year and or referred a friend.”

The one requirement the shelter has is that the pets being adopted not be given as a present, because those animals are returned to shelters more frequently.

“We don't support pet adoptions as gifts so each family is adopting the animal as a pet for their family,” Jackson said.

The Turlock Animal Services shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It is located at 801 S. Walnut Road. Pets up for adoption can be seen online at cityofturlock.org. For more information call 656-3140.