Please join us in congratulating more than 86,000 shelter animals (!!) who found their forever homes this month, thanks to the shelters and rescue groups that participated in NBCUniversal’s Clear the Shelters campaign.

During the annual event, which culminated this year on Saturday, August 18, shelters and rescue groups from around the country join together (with added help from news and radio stations) in a collective effort to get dogs, cats, and other animals out of kennels and into forever homes. Most waive or reduce their adoption fees for a day or weekend, though some hold month-long adoption promotions.

Adopters at St. Hubert’s celebrate a new furry family member.

This year’s event was a hit across the country in shelters big and small. According to NBCUniversal, more than 1,200 organization participated — and over 24,000 adoptions were reported last Saturday alone.

In New Jersey, St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center waived fees for one day at all three of their locations, where enthusiastic animal lovers began lining up over an hour before adoptions began! By the day’s end, shelter staff had bid fond farewells to 69 animals — including 37 cats and kittens, 31 dogs and puppies, and one hamster — as they departed the shelter on their way to loving forever homes.

In Bauxite, Arkansas, a rural town about a half hour from the state’s capital of Little Rock, the Humane Society of Saline County introduced six animals to new adoptive families. “[That’s] pretty good for our little shelter in a town of 400 people,” said shelter director Ann Sanders.

And last week at Animal Care Centers of NYC, New York City’s only open-admissions shelter, more than 230 animals found new homes (plus, an additional 319 were taken in by the shelter’s New Hope Adoption Partners). Below is a touching video of Sam, a nine-year-old “boroughbred” who started the first day of his new adopted life on Saturday.


Want to hear more about the event? Visit ClearTheShelters.com or tune in to NBC-operated TV stations on Saturday, August 25 for a detailed event recap from actress and animal lover Jane Lynch.

Did you participate in #ClearTheShelters Day? We’d love to hear your stories. Tell us about your new furry pal (and send pictures!) to blog@mutts.com. We may even feature your story in an upcoming blog or social post!

Comments (2)

Just wonderful :) Pray that Sam’s family honors their commitment. Well done!

Michael-David Kerns

Having worked at that shelter in charge of adoptions, i would have put a more secure collar on, or at least a harness when walking the dog. You could see the pull of the collar with the open space round the dog’s neck.

joan silaco