The campaign coincides with Puppy Mill Awareness Day, and is a timely reminder for anyone looking for a new pet to consider adopting from a shelter. When you adopt, you typically get a pet that’s already spayed or neutered, micro-chipped and vaccinated, and best of all, you can feel good about saving a pet’s life. Adoption also ensures that people don’t support the abusive and inhumane practices of the puppy mill industry through pet stores and online sales.

Recent data (click to see your state’s kill percentage) released by Best Friends showed that U.S. shelters were seeing an increase in animal intakes and a decrease in pet adoptions from shelters. This has steadily turned into a crisis in the animal welfare community, where many shelters are over capacity. Anyone considering adding a new pet to their family can make a difference by choosing to adopt instead purchasing their pet. In 2021, around 355,000 dogs and cats were killed in shelters just because they didn’t have safe places to call home.

“There is a growing shelter crisis across the country and the animal welfare community won’t just sit by and let innocent pets die,” said Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society. “In fact, it’s quite the opposite. We’re joining forces with our vast network of shelters and rescues across the country to host our third National Adoption Weekend since May to encourage people to get out and adopt.”

Adoption fees will be waived on all dogs, cats, kittens and puppies at Best Friends Lifesaving Centers in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Houston, Northwest Arkansas, and Kanab, Utah. All
pets will be fixed, vaccinated, micro-chipped, and ready to go home. In addition, more than 600 shelters and rescue groups are participating, many that will be waiving or reducing adoption fees over the three-day weekend.

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.

“We have proof that national promotions like the first two adoption weekends we did in May and July work,” said Castle. “Our July National Adoption Weekend saw close to 10,000 animals adopted in a three-day period. I’m confident we can beat that this weekend, just as I’m confident we can bring the country to no-kill by 2025.” To find a participating shelter near you, click here.