Eighty-four cats and dogs were adopted Saturday during the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland’s Clear the Shelter event.

Jeana Roth, community relations manager for the Westbrook shelter, said a line of potential pet adopters started forming at about 6 a.m., three hours before the shelter opened for the day. By the time the shelter closed at 3 p.m., she said, 50 cats and 34 dogs were adopted.

Buddy Whitehouse of Kennebunk greets a dog called Sadie on Saturday during the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland’s Clear the Shelter event in Westbrook. Whitehouse decided to adopt Sadie. Joel Page/Staff Photographer

This is the first time the league has taken part in the event, which began last year in Texas and is supported nationally by the television networks NBC, NECN and Telemundo, Roth said. NBC reported Saturday that the event led to the adoption of more than 10,000 animals nationally.

During the day, adopters were encouraged to pay what they wanted for adoption fees, Roth said. Normally, fees range from $45 to $350, depending on whether the pet is a dog or cat and the animal’s age.

“We consider it a huge success,” Roth said of the event, noting that adopters ended up taking a majority of the shelter’s population of 140 cats and dogs.

She said most adopters paid a fee of some kind. One donor made a “pay-it-forward” donation, Roth said, which will cover the adoption fee for the first animal adopted Sunday.

Roth said the shelter will analyze the results before deciding whether to hold another Clear the Shelter event next year, but that the early indications are that it will be repeated.

“We’re thrilled all around,” she said. “It was a perfect day.”

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