CitizensNet

September 24, 2024

Fall in Love with a New Pet at BARC Animal Shelter During BISSELL Pet Foundation for Fall National Empty the Shelters

BISSELL Pet Foundation, a national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending pet homelessness, is prompting a national call for adoption this fall with its Empty the Shelters reduced-fee adoption event from Oct. 1-15.  BARC Animal Shelter & Adoptions will participate along with more than 390 shelters in 44 states. To help deserving shelter pets find loving homes, BISSELL Pet Foundation sponsors reduced adoption fees of $50 or less per cat or dog during each nationwide event.

BARC will participate in Empty the Shelters from October 1-15, waiving fees for all adult dogs and cats, as well as kittens. Puppies will be available for a reduced price of $25. While BARC is normally closed for adoptions on Mondays, we will be open seven days a week during Empty the Shelters to help more pets find their forever homes. Adoptions will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. Adopters must be over the age of 18 and have a valid ID and proof of address to adopt. Visit www.houstontx.gov/barc/adopt_a_pet.html for more information on our adoption process. Email our adoptions team at BARCadoptions@houstontx.gov to inquire about a specific pet.

“Right now, our nation’s animal shelters are in crisis with too many pets coming in and not enough adoptions to keep up. Euthanasia rates have hit a 3-year-high, and healthy, adoptable pets are at risk due to space constraints,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. "BISSELL Pet Foundation's Fall National Empty the Shelters offers a chance for the community to save lives through adoption while creating space for shelters to help more pets. If you can't adopt, fostering can also make a lifesaving difference. Deserving pets across the country are counting on all of us.”

"Thanks to the Empty the Shelters campaign and BISSELL Pet Foundation, thousands of BARC animals have found their forever homes. This fall is a critical time for BARC, as our shelter continues to face high intake levels for both dogs and cats," said BARC Shelter Director Jarrad Mears. "As intake grows year after year, strategic partnerships like these are essential to ensuring we find positive outcomes for our shelter pets."

BISSELL Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters event is the largest funded adoption event in the country. This lifesaving event began in 2016 with a goal of encouraging more families to choose adoption. Nearly 283,000 pets have found loving homes since its inception. Empty the Shelters is BISSELL Pet Foundation’s largest program, partnering with 742 animal welfare organizations in 49 states and Canada to reduce adoption fees.

BISSELL Pet Foundation and BARC Houston urge families to research the pet they are interested in adopting, as well as adoption requirements. For more information on adopting or donating to Empty the Shelters, visit www.houstonbarc.com.

About BISSELL Pet Foundation:
BISSELL Pet Foundation is a charitable 501©(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to help reduce the number of animals in shelters through pet adoption, spay/neuter programs, vaccinations, microchipping and emergency support. Founded in 2011 by Cathy Bissell, BPF is an extension of her long-standing love for animals and commitment to their welfare. BPF has since partnered with more than 6,000 shelters and rescues across the U.S. and Canada to help pets find loving homes. The foundation is supported by generous donors and BISSELL Inc. where every purchase saves pets. To learn more, visit www.bissellpetfoundation.org.

About BARC
BARC, the City of Houston's Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, takes in more than 20,000 animals annually regardless of behavior, breed, or medical condition. BARC works each day to improve Houstonians and their pets' health and safety by pioneering programs such as low-cost and no-cost spay/neuter services, mobile adoptions, transfer/rescue partnerships, and pet registration and microchipping. BARC is also committed to public safety through animal enforcement, which answers calls for service from the community and investigates cases of animal cruelty.

Visit www.houstonbarc.com for more information.

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