A LOT of animals are sitting in the city of Jacksonville’s animal shelter right now — capacity is 362, but more than 400 cats and dogs are awaiting adoption. Our number this week is the shelter occupancy rate (current as of Friday afternoon): 113.81%.

Though it over capacity, 113.81% is pretty good compared to the facility’s average capacity for the past year:

At the same time, in the last 12 months, Jacksonville’s Animal Care and Protective Services shelter has found foster homes for 3,332 animals. The fostering program helps temporarily alleviate overcrowding while providing socialization and giving future adoptive families insight about how the animal behaves in a home environment.

This month, the city is teaming with the Jacksonville Humane Society on Silent Night, its annual effort to find foster homes for all the shelter animals over the holidays. Starting Saturday, Dec. 14, you can pick up a dog or a cat to foster. If you fall in love, you can adopt. But, if it’s not the right fit, you can return it after Christmas.

Pick up at any of these times that work for you:

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Animal Care and Protective Services, 2020 Forest St.

• December 14 – 24: Noon-7 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on weekends
• December 24 (Christmas Eve): 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• December 25 (Christmas Day): 9 a.m.-Noon

Jacksonville Humane Society, 8464 Beach Blvd.

• December 18-24, 2024, Noon-7 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekends
• December 24 (Christmas Eve): 10 a.m.-2 p.m.