Pet Adoption Fees Discounted Through Empty The Shelters Holiday Hope Event

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — The Empty the Shelters Holiday Hope reduced fee adoption event is happening now at the Humane Society of Harford County.

The event runs from Dec. 1-15 and is made possible through a partnership with the Bissell Pet Foundation, which is sponsoring reduced adoption fees at more than 300 shelters across 40 states. At HSHC, adoption fees during the event will be $50 for dogs and $30 for cats. Eligible animals must be at least one year old. The reduced fee includes spay/neuter surgery, age-appropriate vaccinations, testing for communicable diseases, flea and tick prevention, and a microchip.

During the 15-day event, HSHC will be open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2208 Connolly Road in Fallston. Regular adoption procedures apply. Visit harfordshelter.org/animals to view all the adoptable pets and learn more.

“During the last Empty the Shelters event, 23 cats and 17 dogs were adopted in just two weeks,” said Amanda Hickman, HSHC’s executive director. “Another 26 animals found homes outside the promotion but benefited from the increased visibility.”

Empty the Shelters is the nation’s largest funded adoption event and has helped more than 374,000 pets find homes across the U.S. and Canada since its inception in 2016.

“This year has placed enormous pressure on shelters across the country, as more families face financial hardship and housing changes that force them to surrender beloved pets,” said Cathy Bissell, founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “If you’re considering adding a pet to your family, adoption has so many benefits. Shelters have desirable pets of every size and age—many who have lived in homes, are house-trained, already spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and ready to become part of your family—all for a fraction of the cost of buying from a breeder or pet store. Our Empty the Shelters Holiday Hope event is a chance for all of us to end the year by giving shelter pets what they deserve most—a loving home.”