Three animal shelters in the Lowcountry region are taking part in a nationwide initiative aimed at alleviating shelter overcrowding and finding loving homes for homeless pets.
From July 8 to 31, Berkeley Animal Center, the Charleston Animal Society, and Dorchester Paws will participate in the Bissell Pet Foundation’s “Summer National Empty the Shelters” event. During this period, all pets available for adoption will be microchipped, vaccinated, spayed, or neutered, and adoptable for a fee of $50 or less.
The “Summer National Empty the Shelters” event is recognized as the largest funded adoption event in the United States, having facilitated the adoption of over 253,000 pets to date, averaging approximately 1,225 adoptions daily, according to the foundation.
Cathy Bissell, founder of the Bissell Pet Foundation, highlighted the pressing challenges faced by shelters nationwide, including the evacuation of pets due to natural disasters like wildfires and tornadoes, as well as issues related to overcrowding and the necessity to euthanize adoptable pets to create space. Bissell emphasized the impact of every adoption in saving lives and making room for more pets in need.
“Shelters are struggling with a variety of challenges right now – some are evacuating pets because of wildfires, tornadoes, or even loss of air conditioning in extreme heat and others are overcrowded and having to euthanize highly adoptable pets to make space,” Cathy Bissell, founder of the Bissell Pet Foundation, said. “Every single adoption saves a life and creates space to save another. Please adopt and give a pet a chance it might otherwise not have.”
Related Topics:
