BISSELL Pet Foundation, a national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending pet homelessness, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its signature Empty the Shelters® event with a nationwide reduced-fee adoption effort from May 1–17, 2026.
BARC, the City of Houston’s Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, is proud to participate in this nationwide event, joining more than 335 shelters across 39 states to help pets find loving homes. During the event, BISSELL Pet Foundation will sponsor reduced adoption fees for cats and dogs, making it more affordable to welcome a new pet into the family. All pets are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped.
At BARC, located at 3300 Carr St., adoption fees during Empty the Shelters will be reduced to:
- $55 for puppies four months or younger
- $30 for dogs five months and older
- $10 for all cats and kittens
Adoption fees include spay/neuter surgery, dewormer, age-appropriate vaccinations, rabies vaccination, flea prevention, a pet microchip, and a one-year pet registration with the City of Houston. Learn more: https://www.houstontx.gov/barc/adopt_a_pet.html
To give more families the chance to adopt, BARC will also extend adoption hours by opening on Mondays during the Empty the Shelters event—traditionally a day the shelter is closed. Adoption hours will be 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily from May 1–17.
“Ten years ago, Empty the Shelters® began with a simple goal—to bring awareness to the incredible cats and dogs in shelters,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “Today, it has grown into a national effort that has helped nearly 400,000 pets find families. Those adoptions have opened space for other pets to enter shelters, provided relief for shelter teams, and created the heartwarming joy that only adoption can bring. This impact has all been possible thanks to the commitment of shelters, adopters, donors and supporters across the country. As we celebrate 10 years, we encourage everyone to consider adoption and help more pets find the homes they deserve. It’s never too late to make a difference.”
“Families across Houston continue to face challenges, and our shelter feels that impact every day,” said Jarrad Mears, BARC Shelter Director. “By reducing adoption fees and expanding our hours, we’re removing barriers so more people can welcome a pet into their home. Every adoption gives an animal a second chance, and events like this help us make those moments possible.”
Empty the Shelters is the nation’s largest funded adoption event and has helped nearly 400,000 pets find homes across the U.S. and Canada since its inception in 2016. Sponsored by BISSELL Pet Foundation, the program works with hundreds of animal welfare organizations to reduce adoption fees and make pet adoption accessible to more families. All pets available through participating shelters are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. Each shelter determines its own adoption process—prospective adopters are encouraged to contact shelters directly for details.
About BISSELL Pet Foundation:
BISSELL Pet Foundation is a charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to help reduce the number of animals in shelters through pet adoption, spay/neuter, 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 6,025 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 BARC:
BARC, the City of Houston’s Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, takes in more than 22,000 animals annually regardless of behavior, breed, or medical condition. BARC works each day to improve Houstonians and their pets’ health and safety by pioneering programs such as low-cost and no-cost spay/neuter services, mobile adoptions, transfer/rescue partnerships, and pet registration and microchipping. BARC is also committed to public safety through animal enforcement, which answers calls for service from the community and investigates cases of animal cruelty.
Visit www.houstonbarc.com for more information.