HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — We are hopefully trading these gloomy, chilly winter days for some warm sunshine soon here in the Rocket City!

Cosmo, a mixed-breed pooch at Huntsville Animal Services (HAS), used his nose to predict that an early Spring was headed our way.

A full day ahead of Punxsutawney Phil’s annual prediction, Cosmo may not have seen his shadow like the famous groundhog, but we’re pretty confident in his sniffing skills.

This was the 2nd Annual Ground Dog Day held at the shelter and it is used to promote adoptions at HAS and an ongoing spay/neuter campaign, “The ‘Fix’ Is In.”

“Last year, we released more than 90% of the animals we took in,” Dr. Karen Sheppard, HAS Director said. “That’s an incredible feat for our staff, our community and our foster homes, but we could have saved even more if more animals had been spayed or neutered.”

Like Cosmo, each animal available for adoption is spayed or neutered before it leaves the facility. They are also microchipped and come with a City license and a free bag of pet food.

There are plenty of spay/neuter options available in the community, most of which can be found here. The City also provides funds for a spay/neuter program for low-income residents.

For more information on HAS or volunteering opportunities, click here.