BEAUMONT, Texas — Michelle Kent says this is her first time at Beaumont Animal Care.
She's looking to foster a dog of her own and eventually adopt.
"We have a German Shepard female, and she seems like she would do well if she had a companion," said Kent.
The shelter has allowed her to build a relationship with her potential companion.
"They really seem like they are proactive as far as the care of the animal, and they know if there are any behavior problems. They also know the dog has to go to a special home for that," she said.
Beaumont Animal Care says it needs more people like Michelle.
The shelter hopes to maintain the 91% they achieved in December.
Staying about 90% is crucial to maintaining the "no-kill" designation.
"One of our biggest benefactors of this is being able to take animals and ship them to other parts of the country," said Shelter Manager Matthew Fortenberry. "We work with a rescue group called Beaumont Pets Alive, and they help transport a lot of animals to different places.
Fortenberry also credits other programs.
One is the Trap, Neuter, and Release program for feral cats.
"People who have wild cats in their neighborhood, like a colony of cats, they're able to trap those animals, and we will take them and have them spayed or neutered and then released back into the wild," said Fortenberry.
The shelter also hosts free spay and neuter programs and adoption specials.
Fortenberry says the other 10% of animals that are euthanized are not treatable or are animals that are considered to be dangerous.
If they are ultimately out of space, then they have to go to their last resort, euthanizing.
The manager says it could be the animal that has been in the shelter the longest.
He also says animals that have been in the shelter for an extended period could end up having behavioral problems.
As for Michelle, she says she's happy to give fostering a try, especially since the shelter makes it easy.
"They really seem to care about the animal also, which is good."
She hopes Southeast Texans show that compassion and courage and save animals' lives.