SALISBURY — Rowan County Animal Services Director Bob Pendergrass says this year’s longer-than-average stretch of warm weather has left the local animal shelter crowded.

The shelter, he said, is continuing to see a “higher than usual intake” of both cats and dogs.

“Usually by this time, cat — especially kitten — intake has slowed down,” said Pendergrass. “But this year, … our shelter population numbers are very high. This seems to be a pattern that is occurring throughout our area.”

To ease demand on a nearly full facility, the shelter will once more offer an adoption special from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

All pet adoptions will be 80 percent off the standard price, making adoptions $16 for animals that haven’t been spayed or neutered and $3 for those that have.

At a similar promotion on Oct. 17, more than 75 animals were adopted: 64 cats and 14 dogs.

The shelter hosted similar adoption specials in April and May, then twice a month since June. Pendergrass credits the promotions with helping improve the shelter’s animal placement rate.

“This year, with the help of many rescue groups and volunteers, Rowan County Animal Shelter has been very successful at finding homes for animals,” he said. “In fact, this is our best year ever so far. We hope this event will help us continue that trend.”

All animals that are adopted through the shelter are provided vaccinations, a microchip and a free sample of 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.