Those looking to add a special member to their family will have that opportunity Saturday during the Selma Animal Shelter’s special adoption day.

The shelter is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, making it hard for some people to get to the shelter before it closes on weekdays.

With that in mind, volunteers with the Humane Society, with the permission of the city, decided to hold an adoption day every first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. beginning this Saturday.

The Humane Society of Central Alabama, a nonprofit organization, teamed up with the shelter to provide adoption ready dogs.

“We will offer fully vetted dogs,” said Lynn Sanders, vice-president of the Humane Society of Central Alabama. “They will already be spayed, neutered, up to date on their shots including their rabies shot, they’ll be heartworm negative and they’ll be on preventative for that. We’re offering those at $100 a dog.”

Those wanting to adopt a pet Saturday, or any other day during the week, will need to fill out an application form before taking their new friend home. If the application is approved, the adoption can take place that day.

“We are providing healthy, spay and neuter dogs,” said Kaye Knight, president of the Humane Society of Central Alabama. “When you adopt a dog, you know that it has been checked … it has been temperament tested so that when you walk out with a dog, you know that you got a well-adjusted dog and you can walk out with it that day.”

One purpose of the Humane Society is to help the shelter adopt out animals to loving families at an affordable cost.

“Our mission is to adopt out to the public fully vetted, healthy, well adjusted dogs from the Selma Animal Shelter,” Knight said. “When you adopt a dog, it cost more than $100 for the spay and neuter and the shots and all. That will be provided for every dog that is adopted. The Humane Society will pick up the difference … in the cost of the dogs that are being adopted.”

But not everyone is looking for a dog. Shannon Lynch with Selma Perfect Pals is in charge of the cats and they too are available to adopt fully vetted at a cost of $50.

Sanders said she is hoping that different groups and organizations will volunteer to help the Humane Society with the adoption on Saturdays.

“This week we’ve just got random volunteers coming to help, but what our goal is … is to have different groups be there each month,” Sanders said. “During the time they’re there, they can be playing with the cats, playing with the dogs, socializing the cats, socializing the dogs.”

Dogs and cats can be adopted during the shelters normal business hours or during the event Saturday. For more information on the event or to see about volunteering, contact Sanders at (334) 431-0476. Donations can be made to Humane Society of Central Alabama, P.O. Box 511, Selma, AL 36701.