The Selma Animal Shelter is gearing up for their second Adoptable Dog Saturday this weekend at the shelter. 

The shelter opens their doors on the first Saturday of each month to allow people who may not be able to make it out during the normal operating hours of Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

“We kicked off the Adoptable Dog program, a partnership between the Humane Society of Central Alabama and the Selma Animal Shelter to offer fully vetted dogs for adoption to the public [in] April,” said Lynn Sanders, vice president of the Central Alabama Humane Society. “Since [then], 11 dogs have been adopted, two are pending adoption and two are available for adoption. These dogs have been adopted by families or individuals that have recently lost a pet to death and are ready to love a new one, first time dog owners and a couple of people who had recently lost spouses or other loved ones and needed companionship.”

The shelter is open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday and people can go and look at the fully vetted adoptable dogs and cats, play with them or adopt and take one home.

Sanders said the dogs that are ready for adoption would make great pets, along with the fully vetted cats, handled by Shannon Lynch with Selma Perfect Pals.

“The two dogs ready for adoption right now are wonderful dogs. One is an about nine month old brindle girl we call Diamond. She walks on leash wonderfully and loves going on car rides. She knows sit and down and plays well with other dogs. She loves the water and will turn a mud puddle into her own personal pool,” Sanders said.

“The other is a five to six month old Jack Russell that is adorable.”

Sanders said she and Kaye Knight, president of the Central Alabama Humane Society, attended the national Adoptions Options seminar in Montgomery to obtain ideas on controlling diseases, promoting animals for adoption and how to implement the Train to Adopt Program.

“The Train to Adopt program helps to ready the dogs to go into a home,” Sanders said. “While in the program, the dogs are walked by volunteers several times a week around the shelter, at Bloch Park and New Live Oak Cemetery. They play together in the outside areas, [and] they are played with and socialized by volunteers of various ages.”

The program also helps with basic commands for the dogs.

The dogs at the shelter will cost $100 and cats are $50. Anyone wanting to volunteer, donate or see about adopting an animal can contact Sanders at (334) 431-0476 or visit the shelter located at 206 Medical Center Parkway in Selma.