This shelter wants Area 51 fans to adopt their pets instead of aliens

What started off as a meme about alien conspiracies could make a real difference for some animals in need.

The internet has been blowing up lately with jokes about Area 51, the formerly-secret military site that has long been the subject of conspiracy theories—most of which about the government hiding captive aliens somewhere on the site.

Since it’s a heavily guarded, very remote facility in a Nevada desert, uncovering the mysteries is no easy task—so one college student proposed a group effort to free the extraterrestrials, creating a Facebook event called “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us.”

“Lets see them aliens,” the event reads. The event has gone viral, with nearly 2 million users RSVP’ing to the event.

While the Air Force has emphasized that it would not be a laughing matter to trespass on an active military training site, most people have embraced it as a fun joke. Companies have capitalized on the fad, making their own Area 51 merchandise.

But one animal rescue is using the meme to raise awareness for a good cause. Because while there may or may not be aliens in need of rescue, there are definitely animals.

OKC Animal Welfare, a shelter in Oklahoma City, made a proposition to anyone planning to storm Area 51: “Come storm our shelter” instead.

“We have great animals ready to protect you from the Area 51 aliens,” they wrote on Facebook. “Adoption isn’t that far out of this world!”

And if that wasn’t enough, they posted photos of their animals dressed in tinfoil hats with aliens and UFOs.

According to their site, they currently have 116 dogs, 39 cats, and two pigs.

If just a small fraction of the people pledging to raid Area 51 actually did this, they could clear their shelters instantly.

So for all the internet conspiracy theorists dreaming of owning their own pet alien, remember that there are already some strange furry creatures displaced from their home who need you.

Let’s make this happen, internet! Spread the word by sharing this story!