Cash incentives offered to rescue partners at El Paso Animal Services to create shelter space

EL PASO, Texas -- If you've ever thought about rescuing a pet and giving them a forever home, now might just be the purr-fect time.

If you bring home a new friend by Friday, July 23, El Paso Animal Services and The Best Friends Animal Society will give you a $125 incentive for each shelter pet you rescue.

"Our rescues, whether they get the support or not, are out there doing the hard work saving pets lives. So this will be an opportunity for both Animal Services and the Best Friend Animal Society to recognize the hard work of the rescues,” said Ramon Herrera, interim director of El Paso Animal Services.

In order to qualify for the benefit you must be a registered partner.

"We want to make sure that the rescues that are taking a lot of these shelter pets are responsible and they're not just going to pick up animals for that incentive,” Herrera said.

That $125 may not sound like a lot, but Herrera said it can go towards getting vaccines for your new found friend, pet food and more.

If you choose to rescue a pet, you won't be getting paired with just any four-legged friend.

"We'll see what your abilities are and we'll make sure we connect you with the right pet,” Herrera said.

In the month of July so far, Animal Services has seen hundreds of pets coming into the El Paso shelter.

"If they could help us by taking an animal that doesn't need to stay at the shelter, that creates space for another animal to come in,” Herrera said.

If you're not a registered partner but want to become one you can go to the rescue page on the El Paso Animal Services website and fill out an application. Then, they will get you set up and find your paw-fect match.

Some other requirements for the incentive include getting an animal currently being housed at the El Paso Animal Services Center. The animal must either be a dog over 40 pounds, or any animal with medical needs, or any adult cat six months or older.