The Prince George’s County Department of Environmental Resources Animal Management Division is encouraging animal adoption with its new 500 Paws for Claus event this month.

The agency has set a goal to find homes for 500 animals from its Animal Services Facility on Brown Station Road in Upper Marlboro.

The agency is offering a 50 percent discount on all of its adoption fees from now until Dec. 31.

Officials stressed that potential adoptive families need to have all members interact with a potential pet prior to going forward with adoptions, and that pets cannot be given as a “surprise gift.”

To view available animals, go to http://www.princegeorgespets4us.com, or for more information, call 301-780-7200.