Clear the Shelters continues its weeklong effort through Saturday, with adoption fees being waived at around 60 local participating shelters.
Prior to 2020, the popular event has been focused on one day in mid-August. But the ongoing coronavirus pandemic forced the organizers, who started Clear the Shelters here in North Texas back in 2014, to extend the effort for six days to help encourage social distancing.
And although the atmosphere may feel different than in years past, the people on the front lines of the adoption event have suggested that the weeklong event might be better.
“In Clear the Shelters past, people will be waiting outside literally overnight to adopt this puppy that they wanted, and so now that we are appointment based it really has kind of stopped that frenzy,” said Cassie Davidson, Director of Communications for the Humane Society of North Texas (HSNT).
As of mid-afternoon on Thursday, the HSNT had adopted out more than 130 animals since the official start of Clear the Shelters, and more than 700 animals during the month of August.
“It has allowed us [to have] better conversations with potential adopters,” Davidson said about the advantage of spreading Clear the Shelters out across an entire week. “We are able to really match the pet to a family accordingly. And it’s not like that wasn’t happening before, but when you’re in a hurry and there is a frenzy to get a free pet, it has really just worked in our favor, actually, because we are just building relationships with our community. It’s been great.”
