Utica, New York - An animal shelter in New York came up with something special this Thanksgiving: they served a holiday feast for 80 strays.

Every year, millions of Americans share a delicious Thanksgiving meal together with their families.

To make sure that stray animals are not left out, the Stevens-Swan Humane Society in Utica, New York, came up with a special idea: they held a Thanksgiving dinner for more than 80 dogs in their care.

Staff members distributed dinner servings on plastic plates. They included several Thanksgiving classics: turkey, pumpkin, and green beans. The shelter shared pictures of the event on its Instagram page. A helper also uploaded additional pictures to her personal account.

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The employees arranged the food nicely on a set table. In other snapshots, you can see the dogs licking their lips in anticipation.

Cat lovers, don't despair! The abandoned felines didn't go away empty-pawed. They received servings of pumpkin to commemorate the holiday season.

The shelter's generous feast received a lot of attention on the internet: "This melts my heart," wrote one Instagram user.

The animal protection organization points out that a lot of animals in the area are looking for new families.

One of the dog's stories was particularly moving to staff members.

Duke the dog has been in the facility for more than six years – the longest of all the animals in the shelter's care. He is eight years old and came to the shelter when he was just two.

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Duke suffered from three cancerous tumors. Although they have been removed, it's uncertain whether his health problems will return.

Caregivers shared Duke's story in their Instagram post, hoping that someone might see the dog and decide to give him a loving home for the rest of his life.

Shelter workers hope Duke and the other strays find families that will provide them the love and affection they deserve.