BISSELL Pet Foundation, a national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending pet homelessness, is prompting a national call for adoption once again this summer with its Empty the Shelters reduced-fee adoption event July 8-31. Beaufort County Animal Services is participating, along with more than 390 shelters in 44 states. To help deserving shelter pets find loving homes, BISSELL Pet Foundation sponsors reduced adoption fees of $50 or less per cat or dog during each nationwide event.

• BCAS will participate July 8-31 at 10 Pritcher Point Rd. Okatie, offering waived adoption fees for dogs six months and older.
• Hours of operation are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Saturday.
• All interested adopters can find more details online at www.pitstopdogs.com

“Shelters are struggling with a variety of challenges right now - some are evacuating pets because of wildfires, tornadoes, or even loss of air conditioning in extreme heat, and others are overcrowded and having to euthanize highly adoptable pets to make space, a tragic situation," said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation.

"BISSELL Pet Foundation's upcoming Summer National Empty the Shelters event is a crucial opportunity for people to make a real difference in their community through adoption. Every single adoption saves a life and creates space to save another. Please adopt and give a pet a chance it might otherwise not have. If you can't adopt, fostering saves lives when shelters are full. Deserving pets across the country are counting on all of us.”

This is the first time BCAS is participating in the Empty the Shelters event and our goal is to find every dog currently at the shelter a new fur-ever home.

“The shelter is pittie-full and we are hopeful and excited to get these dogs off of pit-row and into great homes,” emphasized BCAS Dispatcher Christi Owens.

BISSELL Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters event is the largest funded adoption event in the country. This lifesaving event began in 2016 with a goal of encouraging more families to choose adoption. More than 253,000 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 Beaufort County Animal Services urge families to research the pet they are interested in adopting, as well as adoption requirements. For more information on adopting or donating to Empty the Shelters, visit www.bissellpetfoundation.org/empty-the-shelters and www.pitstopdogs.com.

About BISSELL Pet Foundation:
BISSELL Pet Foundation is a charitable 501©(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to help reduce the number of animals in shelters through pet adoption, spay/neuter programs, vaccinations, microchipping and emergency support. Founded in 2011 by Cathy Bissell, BPF is an extension of her long-standing love for animals and commitment to their welfare. BPF has since partnered with more than 6,000 shelters and rescues across the U.S. and Canada to help pets find loving homes. The foundation is supported by generous donors and BISSELL Inc. where every purchase saves pets. To learn more, visit www.bissellpetfoundation.org.

About Beaufort County Animal Services
Beaufort County Animal Services exists to promote responsible domestic pet/livestock ownership, prevent the spread of animal borne diseases to other domestic pets/livestock and protect the public by seizing public nuisance domestic pets/livestock roaming throughout the County. We provide a temporary shelter for stray, unwanted or homeless domestic pets/livestock, maintain a vigorous relocation program to include health screening, vaccinations and mandatory spay or neutering of same. Beaufort County Animal Services acts in compliance with Federal, State and local laws and regulations and performed by a humane and professional staff. To learn more, or to view adoptable dogs, visit www.beaufortcountysc.gov/animal-services.