Warren County residents looking to adopt a pet may continue to do so without having to pay a fee.

The free adoption program at the Warren County Animal Control and Adoption Center, which began in mid-December and was recently extended through Feb. 9, has been extended once again. From now through March 9, the normal $85 fee to adopt a dog and $65 fee to adopt a cat will be waived.

When the fee waiver was proposed during the December meeting of the county’s Health and Welfare committee, WCACAC housed 83 dogs and 12 cats. After just a couple of weeks, those numbers had dropped to 59 dogs and no cats.

According to the monthly report from WCACAC, at the end of January the center housed 51 cats and two dogs, after taking in 27 animals and adopting out 23 during the month. As of Friday morning, the population at WCACAC included 54 dogs and two cats.

Recent social media speculation about WCACAC’s status as a “no-kill” shelter prompted WCACAC supervisor Brandi Harville to comment on rumors stating some animals currently housed at the shelter are planned for euthanization.

“To clear the air this is still a ‘no-kill’ shelter,” Harville said. “Instead of downing the shelter, or the employees, come down to visit; you might find yourself a new best friend, and see for yourself it’s not that bad.”

WCACAC is open to the public Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. They are closed to the public Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday.