Adoptable animals at a Middle Georgia animal shelter are saved on Tuesday after a national organization finds the cats and dogs a home.

Paws for Hope and Faith saved more than 40 animals from euthanasia at the Jones County Animal Shelter. The founders of the group, Shane and Janet Smith signed a pardon with the shelter last week to stop the killing of animals for seven days. The small shelter started with 14 dogs a week ago and by Tuesday 44 dogs and 2 cats were adopted or rescued to groups around the country and Canada.

"It's a really good feeling just knowing that the animals will find a warm place to lay their head,” shelter director, Jennifer Giddens said. “Knowing that they've got a roof over their head and a family that loves them."

Not only was this the first pardon for the shelter but the first time in three years Giddens has been director that an animal wasn’t killed for a week. A big accomplishment for a shelter that only has 14 dog runs, nine cat cages, and six puppy cages in the facility.

Besides saving the animals, Smith is also helping the shelter.

“We're trying to get a play area put in the back for them so we're meeting with people on that and we're going to try and help build them a new shelter," Smith said.

The idea is still in its early stages. However, Giddens said what the pardon has done is given the shelter exposure.

"Community awareness and involvement has helped us a lot,” Giddens said. “You know, getting people knowing that we're here and that they can and adopt from us."

The cages may be empty now, but Giddens and Smith said in a shelter this small, the number can change immediately.

"At any moment, we can fill right back up within hours," Giddens said.

"It will fill back up and so we're trying to get them more support so the animals keep moving,” Smith said.

The shelter has a new Facebook page called “A Paw and a Prayer.” Animals up for adoption will be posted there.