BENTON HARBOR — More than 30 furry friends found new homes in Berrien County last week thanks to a partnership between a government agency and a regional business.

Honor Credit Union partnered with Berrien County Animal Control to co-host Honor’s Adoption Day on Saturday, Nov. 16. The one-day event, hosted at Berrien County Animal Control in Benton Harbor, resulted in 32 adopted dogs and cats.

“The saying, ‘see a need, fill a need’ is my team’s mantra,” said Thomas Newnum, Honor’s community assistant vice president. “When we found out that Berrien County Animal Control was at maximum capacity, we just knew we had to do something to help out. There were several animals in the shelter that had been there for months, and a few had been there for over a year. Helping these animals to get out of the shelter and into a ‘fur-ever’ home was the best feeling. There were a lot of smiling faces during our event, from children, volunteers, parents and even pets.”

According to Berrien County Animal Control, less than three animals are adopted on an average Saturday during operating hours. Honor’s Adoption Day brought 150 people through the shelter’s doors during the three-hour event, and a total of 32 adopted dogs and cats went home to with their new families. Honor’s team members from the Benton Harbor, Coloma and St. Joseph member centers volunteered their time during the event to ensure there were enough people to help with the extra business.

“Honor Credit Union was such an awesome partner before, during, and after the event,” said Tiffany Peterson, director of Berrien County Animal Control. “An important piece to the success of the day was helping spread the word, and Honor did an amazing job sharing the opportunity and creating a definite buzz around the community.”