Bissell Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters event takes place July 10-12. More than 160 of BPF’s shelter and rescue partners are participating in this reduced fee adoption event including one in Dallas, one on Cedar Creek Lake and one in Athens where fees have been reduced to $25 or less.

Texas participants include:

  • Dallas Animal Services – Dallas
  • Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake – Tool
  • Athens Animal Rescue Shelter – Athens
  • Citizens For Animal Protection – Houston
  • Houston Humane Society – Houston
  • Humane Society of Angelina County – Lufkin
  • Gulf Coast Humane Society – Corpus Christi
  • Animal Care Service – City Of San Antonio – San Antonio

With fostering pets becoming so prevalent during COVID-19, BPF will also honor foster-to-adopt cases that start as fosters during the weekend of July 10-12 and are finalized up to one week after the event.

“More pets run away on the 4th of July than any other day of the year,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “The increase in shelter intake puts pressure on our partners, who are already working with limited staff and funding due to COVID-19. The best way for us to support them is to help their pets find loving homes.”

Participating shelters will work with interested adopters to schedule meet and greet appointments following local COVID-19 guidelines. To find an adoptable animal at a participating location near you, visit Bissell Pet Foundation. Using the filter function on the map, your local shelter’s information will populate. For accurate hours of operation and processing procedures, visit the organization’s website linked on the page.

“Bringing awareness to adoptable animals in shelters is a priority for BPF, said Bissell. Over four years, the Empty the Shelters program continues to prove that with a little patience and research, you can find any breed you’re looking for at a shelter near you. It’s really a win-win for homeless pets and adopters.”

All animals included in the ETS promotion will be microchipped and spayed/neutered to prevent further pet homelessness.

Since the program began in 2016, Empty the Shelters has found homes for 37,394 pets and counting. During the COVID-19 pandemic alone, 6,231 pets were adopted during two ETS events executed by appointment only.

— David Taffet