Empty the Shelters

September 30, 2024-Memphis Animal Services will join 390+ shelters in the United States in the BISSELL Pet Foundation's Fall National Empty the Shelters adoption event. The free adoption event will occur at Memphis Animal Services, 2350 Appling City Cove, from October 1 to 15.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to clear our shelter and get these precious pets into good homes. It will also free up needed space in our shelter so Memphis Animal Services can continue to provide services to the community," said Mary Claire Borys, Interim Memphis Animal Services Director, "We hope the Memphis Community will help us clear the shelter by October 15.

Memphis Animal Services has been operating over capacity for months, putting a strain on resources and our pet placement partners. Interested adopters can visit the shelter Monday through Friday from 1- 6 pm and Sat/Sun 12-4 pm.

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. Memphis Animal Services will participate along with more than 390 shelters in 44 states. To help deserving shelter pets find loving homes, the BISSELL Pet Foundation sponsors reduced adoption fees of $50 or less per cat or dog during each nationwide event.

"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."

BISSELL Pet Foundation's Empty the Shelters event is the largest funded adoption event in the country. This lifesaving event began in 2016 to encourage 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 Memphis Animal Services urge families to research the pet they are interested in adopting and the requirements. For more information on adopting or donating to Empty the Shelters, visit www.bissellpetfoundation.org/empty-the-shelters and https://memphisanimalservices.com/.

Media Contact:
Arlenia Cole | Media Affairs Manager | City of Memphis | [email protected] | 901.569.1971
Brittany Schlacter | Marketing & PR Specialist at BISSELL Pet Foundation| [email protected]| 616.600.9470