There is a constant need for Beaufort County residents to take a leap and add a four-legged, furry friend to their family. The Betsy Bailey Nelson Animal Control Facility often operates at full capacity — its cages filled with lolling tongues, wagging tails and eyes that likely have a heartbreaking story behind them.

Many animals call the Beaufort County shelter home, but not by choice. The unfortunate truth is that, in many cases, a previous owner has surrendered these animals, meaning they could find themselves behind the bars of a cage for the rest of their lives.

Other animals were found in the community, neglected and abused, brought in by either rescue groups or residents.

They may all have different backgrounds, but each animal holds the same hope: that it soon may find a loving owner and home.

While the shelter boasted a 72-percent adoption rate in 2016, predicts an increase in its adoption percentage in 2017, the shelter still finds itself with crowded cages year after year.

Some of these animals haven’t eaten for weeks, have been purposely injured or tied to a pole, left to completely fend for themselves.

It’s even more heartbreaking that even though these animals are safe at the shelter, they could face another sad fate. Some animals are euthanized due to overcrowded conditions. Shelter employees do not like this option, and they work to avoid this outcome, but lack of space and resources make it a reality.

That’s why adopting a pet from the shelter is so important. There are many groups in eastern North Carolina that work tirelessly to help the animals find a loving owner. The popular Facebook pages of “ENC Shelter Dogs” and “ENC Shelter Cats” post pictures of available animals frequently. Animals from the shelter are posted on the website Petango.com. The Daily News also publishes “Pets of the Week” in every weekend publication.

Anyone seriously interested in finding a new best friend should consider adopting an animal from the shelter. Shelter animals have character; they tell a story.

Adopters can know they have undoubtedly saved a life. It won’t just be an adoption; it will truly be a rescue.