ACCT Philadelphia is over capacity and asking for the public's help to foster or adopt pets

ACCT Philadelphia is pleading to get homes for animals in need Sunday night, and they're offering financial incentives to people who can help.

Chris Fox was emotional as he signed the adoption papers and got ready to take home a new pup, Harley, to join his family.

"I melted online, I came in, and I got her as soon as I could," Fox said. 

ACCT Philadelphia is grateful to Fox and others who came out looking for a furry companion. The Philadelphia-based animal shelter and adoption center said it's over capacity. 

"This month, for July, we're on track to get about 700 dogs, which we haven't seen those numbers since 2016," Sarah Barnett, the executive director of ACCT Philadelphia, said.

It's why Barnett said she's using a financial donation to ACCT to make payments to people willing to foster pets and to other adoption shelters that have available space. 

Right now, anyone who fosters a large dog, 40 pounds or over, will get $200 for fostering for either four weeks or until adopted. Any rescue partner will also receive $750 per dog and an additional $500 if they take two or more. 

ACCT Philadelphia also said it doesn't know they simply can't adopt their way out of this crisis. That's why they're offering free spay and neuter services to 22 zip codes across Philadelphia, serving some of the most under-resourced parts of our city. They said the goal overall is to stop the overpopulation happening in the shelters.

ACCT is hoping that together, more dogs and cats will find their forever homes.