Magnificent Mutts & Meows joins Clear the Shelters Day Aug. 19

Along with nearly 700 shelters across the country, Magnificent Mutts & Meows is teaming up with the NBC-owned TV stations and Telemundo for Clear the Shelters, a nationwide pet adoption drive, on Saturday, Aug. 19, to help find loving homes for animals in need.

Almost 54,000 pets found new homes in 2016 through the Clear the Shelters event. Local Chicago area rescue Magnificent Mutts & Meows is honored to be participating again this year.

The adoption event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Elmhurst Animal Care Center, a full service veterinary hospital and longtime partner of Magnificent Mutts. Located at 850 S. Riverside Drive in Elmhurst, the state-of-the-art clinic also offers boarding, grooming and training.

The public is invited to meet and potentially adopt dogs and cats from the rescue.

Each year, 2.7 million adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized in the U.S. simply because too many pets find their way into shelters and too few people consider pet adoption when looking for a pet.

By adopting, you make a loving animal part of your family and open up shelter space for another animal who might desperately need it. Most rescue animals are happy, healthy pets just waiting for someone to take them home.

Linda Latelle, founder of Magnificent Mutts & Meows, has been rescuing animals all of her life and started the nonprofit organization in 2001, rescuing thousands of dogs since her start. Recently making local headlines, Linda and her team rescued a few groups of very special dogs.

Partnering with the Humane Society International, they rescued the "Magnificent 10" saving them from slaughter on South Korean dog meat farms.

A 501(c) 3 nonprofit all-breed rescue, Magnificent Mutts & Meows has dedicated volunteers who provide love, hope, and a safe sanctuary to animals in need.

The Mag Mutts motto reads: "Because they're all Magnificent."

For more information and ways to help including donating to Magnificent Mutts and Meows, visit www.facebook.com/MagnificentMutts/ or magnificentmutts.org.

For more information on Clear the Shelters Day, visit www.cleartheshelters.com.

And for information about Elmhurst Animal Care Center, visit www.elmhurstanimalcarecenter.com.