KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A national initiative is working to get more dogs adopted while showcasing the importance of playgroups in shelters.

Saturday’s Playgroup Rockstar Event was held at more than 30 shelters across the country, including KC Pet Project right here at home.

The shelter takes in anywhere from 40 to 60 new animals every day, and Tori Fugate, Chief Communications Officer, says those numbers aren’t slowing down.

“When you come here, and you adopt one of these amazing dogs, you’re not only saving the life of the dog that you take home, but you’re also just helping us save the next,” Fugate said.

The playgroup style event helps show the dogs in a more relaxed setting, burns off some extra energy and allows families to really get a sense of each dog’s personality.

“They say that thirty minutes of playgroups equates to two hours if we were just normally walking them,” Fugate said. “So them being able to interact with other dogs just really helps them mentally, physically while they’re here in the shelter.”

The shelter is having waived fees on Wednesdays every week. So if you missed Saturdays, you can still adopt a furry friend at a discounted price.

Next month, join the shelter for its first-ever in-person 5k on June 10. You can run or walk to support the more than 15,000 pets they’ll care for this year.

Visit the KC Pet Project for more details.