Hunter RSPCA enjoys successful adoption weekend with 96 per cent clearance

Dexter the Shepherd was left waiting for his furever family during the RSPCA's 'Clear the Shelter' campaign over the weekend.

Regional manger Debbie Jaggers said the five-year-old dog got himself lost from his home and, sadly, ended up at the shelter where they were unable to find his family. 

"He's a big beautiful boy, but he does still have a bit of training to do. He will need a family with lots of energy," she said. 

"I think it was just the people who came to see him weren't the right match but he's a really lovely dog."

Anyone interested in Dexter will need to bring any other pets to meet him.

It would be a hat trick for the Hunter RSPCA for Dexter to find his new home, after helping more than 130 animals find their furever home on Saturday and Sunday.

The Rutherford-based shelter cleared 96 per cent of its residents including 50 dogs and 20 cats finding their fur-ever homes.

Regional manager Debbie Jaggers said there were queues of people lined up outside the door of the shelter. 

"We adopted all our cats, kittens and dogs except Dexter," she said. "We were about 96 per cent empty of animals. We had hundreds of people come to support the RSPCA.

"It was fantastic. The community was really supportive and we couldn't do it without them." 

Although adoption fees were reduced to $29, all normal adoption procedures applied. 

Every animal available for adoption had already been desexed, microchipped, vaccinated and completed vet checks and behavioural assessments.

Some adoptions even took hours and involved meet-and-greets with prospective adoptive families and fur-siblings, and consults with vets about health and medical considerations.

RSPCA NSW’s Clear the Shelters adoption weekend rehomed 90 per cent of available animals across the state.

In total, 2654 animals across the country found their forever homes.