Humane Society of Harford County Waives Adoption Fees to Clear the Shelters on August 18

Animal Shelters Nationwide Teaming Up with NBC for Annual Pet Adoption Campaign to Find Homes for Thousands of Animals

For Immediate Release

Contact: Erin Long, Marketing Coordinator
Humane Society of Harford County
410-836-1090, x106
erin@harfordshelter.org

Fallston, MD (August 14, 2018) – The Humane Society of Harford County (HSHC) will join over 900 animal shelters across the nation this Saturday, August 18 for the largest single-day adoption event in the country: Clear the Shelters. Adoption fees on all pets at participating shelters nationwide will be waived with hopes that every animal will find a loving, permanent home.

HSHC will be open from 10am until 5pm on Saturday. Interested adopters can view the animals’ photos and biographies and download an adoption application in advance here. Regular adoption procedures will apply, and because of the urgency to clear the shelter, animals cannot be put on hold for adoption at a later date. Although adoption fees are waived, there is a required $50 deposit for a HASP (Harford Animal Sterilization Program) certificate if the animal is not already spayed or neutered. That fee is refunded upon completion of the procedure within 60 days.

“Almost 3,500 animals enter our shelter every year, including cats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs, ferrets, birds, reptiles, and farm animals,” said Cat Kelly, shelter operations director at HSHC. “We’re very excited to join shelters all across the country who will be opening their doors wide to find homes for thousands of pets this Saturday. We want to open for business on Sunday with very little or no animals left!”

Animals adopted from HSHC include a distemper vaccination (DHPP for dogs & FVRCP for cats), a rabies vaccination (if the animal is at least 3 months old), canine kennel cough vaccination, canine heartworm test, FeLV (feline leukemia) & FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) testing, de-wormer, flea & tick preventative, a microchip, a free sample of Hill’s Science Diet food, and a general exam.

This one-day Clear the Shelters event has been gaining traction since it launched in 2015. More than 80,000 pets were adopted during last year’s event, and in total, Clear the Shelters has resulted in more than 150,000 pet adoptions nationwide.

“Last year 26 animals from our shelter were placed into adoptive homes, including a rooster, a sun conure, a rabbit and a guinea pig” said Jen Swanson, executive director at HSHC. “Many more people came back to adopt in the days following Clear the Shelters, and even if they didn’t adopt, Clear the Shelters helped to increase foot traffic through the shelter and raise awareness about the importance of pet adoption.”

About Clear the Shelters
Clear the Shelters is a groundbreaking pet adoption campaign that will take place on August 18, 2018 in more than 30 markets across the United States and Puerto Rico. HSHC will participate as an official Clear the Shelters partner alongside NBC4, the local news affiliate in Washington, DC. This year’s Clear the Shelters event is sponsored by Cat’s Pride® and Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Actress Jane Lynch is the spokesperson for Clear the Shelters and will host a 30-minute post-adoption drive special to highlight this fourth annual event. The special will air on NBC stations on Saturday, August 25 (check local listings). Visit www.cleartheshelters.com for the full list of local participating animal shelters and to view a real-time pet “Adoption Tracker” on August 18th.

About the Humane Society of Harford County
The Humane Society of Harford County, Inc., is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to the welfare and well-being of the approximately 3,500 animals that come to us each year. We promote the kind treatment of homeless, stray and abandoned animals by providing shelter, care, adoptions, and community education. We are not a county agency nor are we affiliated with any national or regional organization. Tax-deductible donations, bequests, and proceeds from events are crucial to our life-saving efforts on behalf of the animals of our community.