PHOENIX — Animal shelters across Arizona offer free or discounted pet adoptions during the first half of December as part of a national campaign called Empty the Shelters — Holiday Hope.
Thirteen pet rescue organizations in Arizona are participating in the event, which runs from Dec. 1-17. These shelters are among more than 400 groups nationwide taking part:
- Arizona Animal Welfare League (Phoenix)
- Arizona Humane Society (Phoenix)
- Chino Valley Animal Shelter
- Friends of Pima Animal Care Center (Tucson)
- Holbrook AA Animal Care and Control
- Humane Society of Central Arizona (Payson)
- Humane Society of Sedona
- Humane Society of Yuma, Inc.
- Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (Phoenix)
- Pinal County Animal Care and Control (Casa Grande)
- The Western Arizona Humane Society (Lake Havasu)
- Verde Valley Humane Society (Cottonwood)
- Yavapai Humane Society (Prescott)
At Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, the event is limited to dogs, while other participating shelters are including both dogs and cats.
Adoption offers differ by location, with some shelters waiving fees entirely. Prospective adopters should contact the specific shelter for details on pricing and availability.
An interactive map of participating locations in Arizona and across the country is available on the Empty the Shelters website.
What is Empty the Shelters?
The BISSELL Pet Foundation organizes multiple Empty the Shelters campaigns each year. The foundation reimburses shelters for adoption fees, allowing families to adopt pets for $50 or less.
Since launching in 2016, this initiative — the nation’s largest funded adoption program — has helped over 300,000 pets find permanent homes.
“It has been an incredibly challenging year for saving lives, as our nation’s shelters continue to take in more pets than they are adopting out. Tens of thousands of shelter pets — of all breeds, ages, and personalities — are desperately in need of homes,” said Cathy Bissell, founder of the BISSELL Pet Foundation, in a press release. “Empty the Shelters – Holiday Hope is more than an adoption event; it’s a lifeline for homeless pets.”