For the past week, the number of adoptions at the Lawrence Humane Society has been almost double averages, said Kate Meghji, executive director. Meghji credits the increase in part to their “Home for the Holidays” promotion which offers a 50 percent discount off the cost of adoption from Dec. 15 to Jan. 4.

“By offering a promotion or a discount in adoption fees, we’re hoping to get some people in the door who have been thinking about adopting but maybe weren’t quite ready to do that,” Meghji said.

Meghji said adoptions usually range between 30-40 per week and that in the first week of the promotion 71 animals have been adopted. The majority of the 71 were cats, but the number includes about 20 dogs and five small animals, either rabbits or guinea pigs.

Meghji said adoption counselors work hard to make sure people are ready for the responsibility of a new pet before adoption.

“I don’t think there is anything wrong with bringing home an animal at the holidays as long as you’re prepared for the responsibility,” Meghji said.

Meghji said she also thinks a change in the past month to the layout of the adoption floor has contributed to the increase. Previously, people interested in adopting an animal were allowed to wander all the rooms of the shelter, which included animals not eligible for adoption. Meghji said she thinks so many options were overwhelming for some.

“We shut off some of the rooms so that people don’t come in and get overwhelmed by six different rooms of cats; there’s only two or three,” Meghji said.

Meghji said that she hopes the trend will continue beyond the promotional period.

“I want it to continue that animals are moving more quickly because that’s having an overall positive impact on fees and euthanasia,” Meghji said.