Today hundreds of animal shelters across the country partnered with NBC affiliate stations, including KMIR for the annual “Clear the Shelters” event to help find loving homes for pets in need.

A staff member from Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter puts it best, imagine being behind bars simply because you are not wanted or there is nowhere else to go. That is the reality for cats and dogs at the shelter.

There are about 300 pets that are ready for a home and being that it is a no-kill shelter, dogs and cats can be under their care for years.

Edith Balbach is a volunteer at the shelter and she has a deep bond with Fiona a mix terrier that has called the Palm Springs Animal Shelter home for about four years.

“Fiona is a dog that’s loving, she’s kind, and she’s also beautifully behaved,” Balbach said. “Puppies are immediately adopted and for some reason Fiona hasn’t generated much interest, which I don’t understand because she’s fabulous.”

The proud new pet owners have many reasons for clearing the shelter, it could be that a six-year-old is ready for her first pet, like Kennedy who plans to rename her kitten, “It is Desert Flower but I am going to call her Princess.”

Or it could be a family that is trying to fill a missing piece after a pet’s departure. Steven Loya said his home is ready to welcome a new friend, “We’re in the market we’re looking for another boy because we had them both for over 15 years and it was just hard to let them go.”

But regardless of the reasons to adopt a pet, the need for loving homes will go well beyond Saturday’s event. Other participating shelters include the Happy Days Animal Haven in Palm Desert and the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms.

KMIR News Helps ‘Clear the Shelters’ of the Coachella Valley