Over 550 Animal Organizations Across the Country Join Forces to Help Pets During Best Friends Animal Society’s Second National Adoption Weekend July 22-24
July 19, 2022 (Kanab, UT) – In light of the current crisis in animal shelters, Best Friends Animal Society and more than 550 shelter and rescue partners have joined together for an adoption campaign to encourage more people to adopt a pet from local shelters, rescue organizations and Best Friends Pet Lifesaving Centers across the country.
Recent data released by Best Friends showed in 2021 U.S. shelters saw an 8.1 percent increase in animal intakes that pet adoptions couldn’t keep pace with. As shelters continue to fill up with adoptable pets this summer, often exceeding their capacities, Best Friends and its participating partners have put together the adoption promotion to address the urgency.
"Following the immense success of our National Adoption Weekend in May, which resulted in 4,529 lives saved, we couldn’t wait to have a second National Adoption Weekend as soon as possible,” said Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society. “The summer months, and July in particular, is one of the highest intake months for animal shelters in America so we really encourage anyone who’s looking for a pet to adopt now.”
Adoption fees will be waived at Best Friends Lifesaving Centers in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Houston, Northwest Arkansas, and Kanab, UT. All pets will be fixed, vaccinated, microchipped, and ready to go home.
Best Friends cites many benefits to adopting a pet, including:
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A One Stop (Adoption) Shop: Most pets that you adopt from a shelter will come vaccinated, microchipped and spayed or neutered which saves you the time and cost of having to do it yourself, like when you purchase a pet.
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You Gain a Lifetime Partner in Your Pets Life: Shelters and animal welfare organizations care about your new family member and will be there to help you throughout the life of the pet with helpful resources and information.
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You are Saving At Least Two Lives: When you adopt you are saving the life of the pet you adopt and opening a spot at a shelter or rescue for a new animal in need of a forever home.
Currently, there are considerably more pets at-risk of being killed in shelters than at this time last year due to recent problems such as staffing shortages, limited shelter hours, decreased volunteers, and reduced adoption events.
“The sad truth is that there is a shelter crisis going on and when shelters get overcrowded and pets aren’t adopted quickly enough, lives are on the line,” Castle added. “If you’re not able to commit to adoption, ask your local shelter or rescue if you can foster a pet instead. Doing so will still make a tremendous impact in saving lives.”
For more information or to find a shelter near you, visit bestfriends.org. Follow @BestFriendsAnimalSociety on Instagram and @BestFriends on Twitter to learn more.
About Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters by 2025. Founded in 1984, Best Friends is a pioneer in the no-kill movement and has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters from an estimated 17 million per year to around 355,000. Best Friends runs lifesaving programs all across the country, as well as the nation’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary. Working collaboratively with a network of more than 3,700 animal welfare and shelter partners, and community members nationwide, Best Friends is working to Save Them All®. For more information, visit bestfriends.org.