Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard addressed many issues and rumors regarding the Mount Vernon Animal Shelter on social media.

The mayor says the shelter is open and will remain open until Jan. 31.

According to the shelter's Instagram page, they are low staffed right now and not always able to answer the phone.

If you're interested in adopting, they say your best bet is to fill out the online application, which is on the shelter's website, and sending it in.

Patterson-Howard says you can also call the Mount Vernon Police Department, which has always operated the shelter.

In regard to concerns expressed on social media that animals not adopted will be euthanized, the mayor says 70% of the animals have been adopted, and that the remaining cats and dogs are getting vaccinations and physical and behavioral evaluations.

News 12 is told all of the animals that are not adopted by Jan. 31 will be transferred to the Humane Society of Westchester, where next steps will be determined.

According to their website, they are a no-kill shelter, which means they will only euthanize animals with "an untreatable disease who have lost the quality of life, or a dangerous dog who has significant potential to injure the public or another animal."

According to the shelter's Instagram page, there were 16 cats and 12 dogs still left in the shelter as of Wednesday.