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 12, 2019) – The Humane Society of Harford County (HSHC) is opening its doors wide with over 1,400 animal shelters and rescues across the nation this Saturday, August 17, 2019 for the largest single-day adoption event in the country: Clear the Shelters. This annual nationwide pet adoption campaign is made possible by NBC and Telemundo stations. Adoption fees on all pets at participating shelters nationwide will be waived with hopes that every animal will find a loving, permanent home.
“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 to find homes for thousands of pets this Saturday. We want all of our animals to wake up on Sunday morning in their new forever homes!”
Animals adopted from HSHC include a distemper vaccination (DHPP for dogs & FVRCP for cats), a rabies vaccination (if age-appropriate), 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.
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 by clicking 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.
This one-day Clear the Shelters event has been gaining traction since it launched in 2015. More than 88,000 pets were adopted in the U.S. and Puerto Rico during last year’s event, and in total, Clear the Shelters has resulted in more than 256,000 pet adoptions nationwide.
“Last year 36 animals from our shelter were placed into adoptive homes,” 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 17, 2019 in more than 160 markets across the United States and Puerto Rico. This year’s Clear the Shelters event is sponsored by Cat’s Pride® and Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Grammy award-winning artist Kelly Clarkson will host a 30-minute program recapping the Clear the Shelters campaign. “The Voice” coach and host of her own daytime program, “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” which premieres this fall, said she’s excited to recount the stories of cats and dogs who have been waiting for “A Moment Like This” to find their forever home. The special will air on NBC stations beginning Aug. 23 (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 17th.
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.
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