A partnership between Bibb County Animal Welfare and local rescue group Paws for Hope and Faith has led to 81 dogs and eight cats getting out of the Bibb County shelter over the span of the past three weeks.

Animal Welfare Director Sarah Tenon said Monday that Paws for Hope and Faith, along with other rescue organizations in the midstate, took in 55 dogs, adopted 14 more to the general public and placed 12 injured dogs with a foster family. The cats either were adopted or taken by a rescue group, Tenon said.

Originally, the pardon program that Animal Welfare agreed to was a stay of euthanasia for seven dogs. But Shane Smith, who founded Paws for Hope and Faith, had the goal to save every dog from the shelter.

“I never really thought we couldn’t do it,” he said. “We (worked) until we got them all out.”

Tenon said 10 dogs during the past few weeks had to be euthanized because of injuries or illness.

As of Monday afternoon, the shelter didn’t have any animals ready for adoption.

“I’m so happy,” Tenon said. “You can see what the community can do when it comes together.”

To contact writer Phillip Ramati, call 744-4334.