Pet Adoption is a hot topic any time of the year, but now is the time to act! Tomorrow, July 23, 2016 is the second annual Clear the Shelters event! We got my cat pest bro Bert at a shelter, lucky me! If you are looking for a pet, why not go to your local shelter tomorrow to adopt and support this initiative? Check the shelter list to find participating shelters near you!
Clear the Shelters started in 2015 with over 400 shelters nationwide participating, and around 20,000 pets being adopted on that one day! Participating shelters are partnering with NBC Owned Television Stations and the Telemundo Station Group. This program offers pets on this one day at no cost or very low discounted adoption fees making pets more affordable for everyone!
As you know, Bailie and I are adopted, but from very reputable breeders. At this point in Mom’s life it is the right thing for her as far as dogs go. Even so, Mom is totally for pet adoption. Mom’s first dog, Trine, was adopted as an adult dog and was a wonderful companion for over nine years. She wasn’t adopted through any special event, but she was still a wonderful dog, and one day Mom may adopt a shelter dog again if it is the right thing at the time.
Mom adopted three shelter cats in Germany, and when we moved back to the US, she opted to adopt shelter cats again. Lucky for us, Bert conned Mom into believing he was a nice boy who needed a home. What a paw full he has been these past eight years, and we paid full price for him! No matter, Mom would never bring him back. He does have his fun and cute sides. He was three when we adopted him, and we think he most likely was a street cat because of his crazy behavior.
Now Sophie is the ideal cat. She is just pretty, never bothers anyone, and is very sweet. She was around a year old when we adopted her. Actually, we adopted Bert and Sophie on the same day. Mom couldn’t leave Sophie as she was being picked on by other cats in the cat room. It took her some time to warm up to us, but the cat finally did come out of the bag.
Cousin Bowie lives with my Gramma. He too was an adult shelter cat she adopted. He was part of another adoption initiative a few years back. Bowie is a perfect companion cat for Gramma…they are like an old married couple, they have their issues, but they need each other.
I think adopting a pet from a shelter on Clear the Shelters Day is a wonderful idea, but if you are not looking for a pet at this time, what can you do? I have a few suggestions below, but I suggest you check with your local shelter first to see what needs they have.
- Donate some of your time to help out at your local shelter
- Donate food
- If you are crafty, make some blankets or toys for the pets in the shelter
- Offer your photography skills to photograph pets looking for homes
- Financial support is always appreciated
Good luck to all those pets looking for homes out there! I hope tomorrow is a happy day for thousands of pets!
It would be awesome for the shelters to be cleared out and all of the animals to find forever families. ☺
20,000 found homes last year, hopefully even more will this year.
I’m going to Brst Friends next week to work for a few days to help with all their animals. It’s hard to have to many animals in New York but living in an apartment building Katie has lots of cousins that come live with us when their patents travel.
At least you can have a dog. Here many apartment/condo buildings don’t allow pets. I guess it is one reason Mom doesn’t want to live in the city, but everyone likes something different.
I hope the shelters can find great homes for a lot of pets tomorrow. That would just be awesome!
Paws crossed for lots of good adoptions.
It would be great to see all the shelters cleared and every pet have a forever home!
Most likely, that won’t happen, but I hope lots of pets find a new home.
We love our local shelter. The mom currently has 4 boxes of clothes and stuff to donate to their thrift store. That is where she takes all of her stuff, and some of her clothes still have tags on them! Great advice, Emma. XOXO Sparkle
My mom recently donated a ton of clothes to a school garage sale. Some of her stuff still had tags too. Donating in anyway is always a good thing to do.
Adoption is the only option…paws crossed tomorrow is a *huge* success!
Well, actually, I’m from a really good breeder, but that still means my mom adopted me. All mom’s cats have always been adopted. Adoption from a shelter is a good thing most of the time.
You are barking right up my alley, we love adoptions, anywhere and everywhere!
I know it is what you kitties and your humans are all about. We are all for shelter pets finding good forever homes, and Mom’s cats have all been rescues. We hope doggies get adopted too!
I hope 2016 is even more successful than 2015! I would love to see puppy mills eradicated, but I am glad there are good breeders.
There is a time and place in life for everything. We wish many pets find wonderful forever homes tomorrow! I know my kitties sure got lucky scoring a home with us a few years ago!
I had no idea you were adopted Emma! I love the idea of clearing the shelters – wish I could afford another pup!
I know! Mom and I look so much alike and have such similar personalities!
Just like Bert, I was living wild for 3 years before the rescue found me and then Mom found me. I even had puppies, but they were adopted and I was left behind. I was naughty at first, but I went to obedience school and Mom taught me to be a good girl. Adoption is the best!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Mom’s first dog was a shelter dog. She had puppies and they all ended up in the shelter. The puppies were adopted right away, but Trine being a 100 lb black dog was in the shelter for a couple months before Mom found her. Shelter dogs are awesome!
We are big supporters of any event that helps find furr-ever homes for those in need!!
Smileys!
Dory, Jakey, Arty & Bilbo
It’s a great idea!
I guess I jumped the gun by a week. On Sunday, July 17th I adopted a dog from Eve’s Sanctuary. He’s 3-4 years old, looks like a rough coat Jack Russell with the coloring of a Border Terrier. He was found in a barn in Indiana.
I was looking for an adult, Wire Hair Fox Terrier or a GBGV. There were none for adoption.
Congratulations on your new pup! Enjoy!
I admire how you totally support shelters yet you understand that adopting from a reputable breeder can also be a wonderful thing. My dog Chris is from a breeder who is great, and I have no shame in it.
My mom says there are so many human kids needing homes, but people are not shamed for “making their own” baby. Why not go ahead and adopt from a shelter when it fits and adopt from a breeder when it is right. There is a place for both types of adoptions.
Gold stars to you for adopting shelter animals. We are trying to find another Standard through a rescue ourselves and hope a gazillion pups and kitties find their new furever homes today! 🙂
We are all for shelter pets and pets from reputable breeders. Both are wonderful options for adopting a pet.
I hope this event has huge results and some pets find a furever home.
Sounds like it was successful, but not quite as much as last year.
I adopted my dog from a local shelter in NYC – a week earlier – June 17 His name is Dunk.
He’s from a barn in Indiana and is slowly getting used to the noise of NYC. He became a velcro dog within two days.
Thanks so much for posting about #cleartheshelters! We were on the road yesterday and not able to participate, but I sure hope tons of animals were adopted to wonderful homes!
We were on the road too, but we heard on the news yesterday morning it was a good day, but not as good as last year.
We hope this event was even more successful this year than last! It is such a wonderful way to encourage adoption. At least one of our local shelters was participating.
There were three in our area that participated. We were out of town, but heard there were around 13000 adoptions, I think 600 in IL which is where we were.
Clear The Shelters!
Pawsome event!
We’ve included the date on our new calendar so we don’t miss it next year.
Nice to meet all the kitties.
I’m adopted from a shelter.
My fursister Q is a rescue.
Dot the cat is one of 4 cats; then kittens abandoned at a rental & left on the side of the road.
GG & MiG the pot bellied pigs are adopted from a local shelter & from a farm sanctuary.
Sounds like a wooftastic or for some pawfect day!
3 bum swings! 3 more!
Nose nudges,
CEO Olivia
It’s a great idea for a great cause! My kitties have always been from shelters.
Thanks for sharing this Emma. It is similar to Just One Day which takes place in June, with the goal being adoptions for that one day, but the ultimate goal is to have the country move to a no kill nation.
I think whatever we can do to help spread the word, is good.
We think it is a great idea. Adoption from a shelter isn’t always right for everyone, but if you can and it fits, do it!
Glad you shared the event it was another huge success! Love Dolly
Mom and Bailie were in Gurnee, IL the next morning and the event was all over the news talking about the success.