Valley residents can get another chance at free pet adoption Saturday

PHOENIX — If you are still looking to find your forever furry friend, look no further: A national foundation will cover the adoption fees for those who adopt from three Arizona animal shelters on Saturday.

The BISSELL Pet Foundation will hold another “Empty The Shelters” event on Saturday.

It will cover the fees for those looking to adopt an animal from the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, the Arizona Humane Society and the Arizona Animal Welfare League.

The “Empty the Shelters” event was held in an effort to reduce overpopulation during the hot summer months.

The first event of this year was held on July 14, when 683 pets were adopted from the Arizona Humane Society and Maricopa County Animal Care and Control.

Cathy Bissell, founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation, said in a statement that summer is a “critical time” to adopt an animal.

“We are grateful that hundreds of pets found homes through Empty the Shelters on July 14, but there are hundreds more waiting. We are pleased to announce that we will be back in August to give even more pets a chance for a loving home.”

With the summer heat, monsoon flooding and Fourth of July firework runaways, the number of animals in Arizona shelters is higher than ever before.

“Our animal control team has found nearly 150 animals each day since the 4th of July,” Ben Swan, development manager at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, said in a statement.

Since 2016, more than 12,000 pets have been adopted on its Empty the Shelter event days.

“’Empty the Shelters’ saved so many lives,” Swan said. “Not only did it clear up shelter space, but it also made room for new pets to have the opportunity for a second chance: Adoption.”

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