Many cats and dogs were waiting for a family to take them home today at Saturn of Rockford. PAWS Humane Society and numerous shelters participated in the pet-a-palooza adoption event. They're trying to bring awareness to the fact that about half of cats and dogs taken to shelters each year are euthanized. And they want to change that. Organizers say interest was high today from local pet lovers.

"It usually does pick up this month, people are finished with vacations, the kids are back in school, temperatures are cooler people start to think about adopting again," says Jeannine French from PAWS Humane Society.

While interest was high, French says the current economy is still taking its toll on pets. She says shelters have seen about a 30 percent increase in the animals brought in.