Press "Enter" to skip to content

Empty the Shelters Event: Free Adoptions for Dogs Over 6 Months


BISSELL Pet Foundation, known for its commitment to eradicating pet homelessness, is initiating a special holiday campaign to encourage the adoption of shelter animals. Their biannual Empty the Shelters™ event, scheduled for December 1-17, offers reduced-fee adoptions across the country.
Maricopa County Animal Care & Control (MCACC) is among over 400 shelters in 45 states participating in the event, offering waived adoption fees for dogs over six months old.

“It has been an incredibly challenging year for saving lives, as our nation’s shelters continue to take in more pets than they are adopting out. Tens of thousands of shelter pets—of all breeds, ages, and personalities—are desperately in need of homes,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “Empty the Shelters – Holiday Hope is more than an adoption event; it’s a lifeline for shelter pets. Please visit your local participating shelter to adopt or foster a pet this holiday season.”

Over the years, MCACC has collaborated frequently with BISSELL Pet Foundation, resulting in more than 3,100 successful adoptions during past Empty the Shelters events. “Our ‘Empty the Shelters’ events have been very successful, and we hope to end the year by truly emptying the shelters,” stated Kim Powell, Communications Supervisor for MCACC. “We have more than 600 amazing dogs looking for a home for the holidays and beyond!”

BISSELL Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters event, which began in 2016, is the most extensive adoption initiative in the United States, aimed at increasing pet adoptions. Since its inception, over 300,000 pets have been adopted. This program partners with 800 animal welfare organizations across 48 states and Canada, making adoption more accessible by reducing fees.

Interested adopters are encouraged to conduct thorough research on potential pets and understand the adoption requirements. For more details on adopting or contributing to the Empty the Shelters initiative, visit www.bissellpetfoundation.org/empty-the-shelters and Maricopa.gov/Pets.

Read More Here