Holiday Hope: Rockingham Harrisonburg SPCA to participate in national adoption event

Rockingham Harrisonburg SPCA will join more than 380 shelters across the United States in the “Empty the Shelters — Holiday Hope” event.

“Empty the Shelters” begins tomorrow and runs through December 17, 2023 with reduced pet adoption fees, and is the final event for the SPCA in 2023.

The event is a partnership between the SPCA and BISSELL Pet Foundation, a national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending pet homelessness. BISSELL sponsors reduced adoption fees of $50 or less per cat or dog during each nationwide event. The event will be hosted in shelters in 43 states.

“Our nation’s animal shelters need your help as they face an overcrowding crisis unlike anything we have experienced in more than a decade. The devastating increase in owner surrenders and stray intakes has left tens of thousands of deserving pets desperate to find a home,” Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation, said. “Our ‘Empty the Shelters — Holiday Hope’ event is the perfect opportunity to make a difference in your community by saving a life and creating space to give another homeless pet a chance this holiday season.”

The SPCA will offer fee-waived adoptions for adults cats age 6 months and older, barn cats and $25 fees for kittens and adult dogs age 6 months and older.

The SPCA found homes for 115 shelter pets during the fall “Empty the Shelters” event.

“Every pet deserves the comfort and safety that being a family offers. There are a lot of great pets available for adoption ready to settle in with their adoptive families before the holidays. And we’re so close to reaching 2,000 adoptions for 2023. If you’ve been thinking about adding a four legged member to your family, come visit us and see if the right one is here at the Rockingham Harrisonburg SPCA,” RHSPCA Executive Director Huck Nawaz said.

Anyone interested in adopting a dog or cat can find more details online. Pet adoption is a lifetime commitment, and not just for the holidays. BISSELL and RHSPCA encourage families to research the pet they are interested in adopting, as well as adoption requirements.

“Empty the Shelters” began saving lives in 2016 and is the largest funded adoption event in the U.S. More than 204,000 pets have found loving homes. “Empty the Shelters” is BISSELL Pet Foundation’s largest program, partnering with 730 animal welfare organizations in 49 states and Canada to reduce adoption fees.