Best Friends’ Adoption Joins Forces with Over 550 Organizations to Help Save Pets

With over 550 shelter and rescue partners, Best Friends’ Animal Society is hosting an adoption campaign to inspire people across the country to adopt pets from rescue organizations, local shelters, and Best Friends Pet Lifesaving Centers.

Best Friends found that in 2021 U.S. shelters saw an 8.1% increase in animal intakes that pet adoption centers could not keep up with. With adoption centers continuing to fill up with pets this summer, Best Friends and its partners have created an adoption celebration to address the urgent need for new dog owners.

Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society, explained, “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. 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.”

During this weekend, 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. In addition to the adoption fees, these precious pets will be fixed, vaccinated, microchipped, and ready to go off to their new homes!

Best Friends has three benefits to adopting a pet this weekend, including:

• A One Stop (Adoption) Shop: Most adopted pets from shelters will come vaccinated, microchipped, and fixed, which saves you the time and money that comes when purchasing a pet.
• You Gain a Lifetime Partner in Your Pets Life: Shelters and animal welfare organizations care about your new family member and will provide you lots of help throughout the life of your new pet by connecting you to helpful resources and information.
• You are Saving At Least Two Lives: When adopting, you not only save the life of the adopted pet but you also help open up a spot at a shelter or rescue for a new animal in need of a forever home

Currently, there are a lot more pets at risk of being killed in shelters than at this time last year due to recent staffing shortages, limited shelter hours, decreased volunteers, and reduced adoption events. Castle expressed her thoughts about the current crisis, saying, “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.”

Even if adoption isn’t possible this season, find ways to help by contacting your local shelters or rescues to inquire about fostering a pet. We all can help in small ways that provide tremendous impact in saving lives.