Fee-Waived 'Empty The Shelters' Event Comes To Loudoun County

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — The Loudoun County animal shelter will host the annual fee-waived "Clear the Shelters" event on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Adoption fees will be waived for all pets including cats, dogs, rabbits and livestock.

The event is being sponsored by the BISSELL Pet Foundation. Event organizers are hoping to find homes for every adoptable pet at the shelter.

To maximize the event's impact, shelter staff are also hosting animals from other shelters throughout the region that may be overcrowded or underserved.

Melissa Heard is the shelter operations manager for Loudoun County Animal Services.

"The holidays bring hope to the shelter and the thousands of pets waiting for homes around the country,” Heard said in a news release. "No one wants to spend the holidays alone, including pets. This is our chance to empty the shelter and get these pets into loving homes for the holidays. We’re proud to be one of more than 380 shelters in 43 states participating in the ‘Empty the Shelters’ event."

Empty the Shelters is the nation's largest funded adoption event, according to the BISSELL Pet Foundation. Since 2016, the annual event has helped more than 200,000 pets find homes.

"Our nation’s animal shelters are facing an overcrowding crisis unlike anything we have experienced in more than a decade," the foundation says on its website. "To help as many pets as possible go from shelter kennels to the couches of loving homes, BISSELL Pet Foundation is sponsoring reduced adoption fees at a shelter near you."

Other nearby events can be found in Fairfax, Arlington, and Winchester.

All dogs and cats adopted from the Leesburg animal shelter will be microchipped and up to date on their vaccinations. Adopters will also receive seasonal goodie bags to take home.

More information about available pets can be found on the LCAS website.