FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – With her kids off at college, Nyana Crosby has visited the city’s Pet Adoption Center several times a week looking for a new companion.

“I couldn’t find the right one,” she said.

Every day, though, there are new animals and new prospective owners, ready to take them home.

“When I come up here, it’s pretty crowded,” Crosby said.

It’s a strikingly different scene from this time last year.

“Christmas Eve last year at the shelter, you could have heard a pin drop,” said Brandon Bennett, Fort Worth’s Code Compliance Director, who oversees the city’s animal adoptions.

Last year, during the entire month of December, about 80 animals were adopted. So far this December, at least 308 have found a home.

This year as a whole, the city expects it has doubled the number of adoptions, drastically cutting the number of animals euthanized and the cost of sheltering animals.

“Since April 22 of this year we have not euthanized a single adoptable pet. And, that’s just phenomenal,” Bennett said.

The city credits the Pet Adoption Center it opened inside the PetSmart store, across from the Hulen Mall.

The center is located in an area where families are considered more likely to adopt. Shoppers say it’s cleaner and more organized than most shelters.

The city’s Animal Care & Control Department also offered a holiday discount, cutting the cost of adopting by more than half over the Christmas season.

“I didn’t want to pay a lot,” said Crosby, who’s happy to save a little money.

Oh, and she finally found her perfect pet: A feisty Yorkie named Pepper.

“He’s not too big and not too small,” she added.