SALISBURY — Looking to adopt a new four-legged friend? A perfect opportunity is coming this weekend at the Rowan County Animal Shelter.

From 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, the shelter will hold an adoption special with all pet adoptions 80 percent off the standard price.

That means adoptions will be $16 for animals that haven’t been spayed or neutered and $3 for those that have.

At a similar promotion in April, 77 animals were adopted — 59 cats and 18 dogs.

Animals can be adopted first come, first serve. All that are adopted through the Rowan County shelter are provided vaccinations, a microchip and a sample of free food. Both dogs and cats are dewormed.

For dogs, vaccines include a 5-in-1 treatment for adenovirus cough and hepatitis, distemper, parainfluenza and parvovirus. Dogs are also vaccinated for bordetella.

Cats are given a 3-in-1 vaccine against rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and feline distemper.

Both dogs and cats are given a one-year rabies vaccine if age-appropriate. “Unaltered” animals come with a $70 voucher to be spayed or neutered.

Reduced-rate adoption fairs began with sponsorships from Shelter Guardians, a nonprofit group dedicated to identifying and meeting the needs of the shelter through fundraising and volunteer efforts.

Then, volunteers would transport animals to an outside location to meet with potential adopters.

Now, the county hosts the adoption fairs at the shelter itself. It also has taken on sponsoring the adoption specials after seeing their success, said Shelter Guardian Chairwoman Nina Dix.

Dix said that Shelter Guardian volunteers will be out in force to help those seeking new, fur-covered family members on Saturday.

These volunteers will greet customers, show them to the animals and provide information about potential pets.

“Volunteers do their best to make the adoption process a positive experience for the two most important components of the event: the animals and the adopters,” Dix said.