Once again, Brookhaven Animal Rescue League is hoping to empty its shelter during the current “Empty the Shelters” adoption event.

With reduced adoption fees sponsored by BISSELL Pet Foundation, BARL is offering $35 adoption fees for cats and $50 fees for dogs until the end of July. Fees are normally $85 and $100. The event began Monday.

This is the longest-ever Summer National “Empty the Shelters” event, and more than 250 shelters in 42 states are participating. The adoption fees include age-appropriate vaccinations, spaying or neutering, and microchipping for dogs.

“BARL is a private shelter with limited space and funds. We are taking in as many animals as we possibly can and it is not enough,” said BARL president Rusty Adcock. “We need more adopters and — most importantly — we need people to spay or neuter their animals. They are breeding faster than we can save them. In recent years, we’ve had an outlet for some animals by transporting them to shelters in the Northern U.S. where they were adopted immediately. Unfortunately, many shelters all over the country are having staffing shortages and our transports have been greatly reduced.”

“Shelters are calling me daily and BISSELL Pet Foundation is feeling the burden of overcrowding. With the euthanasia of homeless dogs up 22 percent in just the first quarter of 2022 alone, we knew we had to act quickly to help at-risk pets,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “Empty the Shelters is the largest funded adoption event in the country, and by extending the event to three weeks, we can help meet the immediate need to save lives.”

“We’ve been asked why many states in the north do not have this animal overpopulation issue. It is a combination of reasons,” Adcock said. “Many have extensive animal control programs in counties and cities so animals are not allowed to roam, and therefore breed. Also there seems to be a deep commitment to sterilizing animals. Many municipalities have ordinances regulating spay/neuter which prevents the birth of so many unwanted animals.”

The “Empty the Shelters” event is the largest funded adoption event in the country. With a goal of encouraging more families to choose adoption, this lifesaving effort has helped more than 96,000 pets find loving homes since 2016. “Empty the Shelters” is BISSELL Pet Foundation’s largest program, partnering with a total of 443 animal welfare organizations in 47 states and Canada to reduce adoption fees.

For more information on adopting or donating to “Empty the Shelters,” visit www.bissellpetfoundation.org/empty-the-shelters.  For more information on adopting a BARL animal, call 601-757-4367, email info@barl.net or visit barl.net/adopt.