Thousands of shelter animals across the United States found new families this year thanks to NBCUniversal’s annual “Clear The Shelters” campaign.
Running from July through September, the nationwide adoption initiative helped approximately 135,000 dogs, cats, and other animals leave shelters for new homes.
The campaign also raised about $480,000 to support the more than 1,000 animal shelters and rescue organizations taking part.
Now in its 12th year, Clear The Shelters has grown into one of the country’s largest pet adoption efforts.
Since the program began, roughly 1.5 million animals have been adopted through participating shelters, while more than $6 million has been raised to support organizations caring for pets in need.
NBC Local executive Meredith McGinn said the campaign shows what can happen when communities rally around animal welfare.
She also credited the shelters, local stations, sponsors, and other partners that help make the annual effort possible.
More than 100 NBC and Telemundo stations participated this year, promoting local adoption events and introducing audiences to animals waiting for homes.
Around 1,200 shelters across 47 states, Washington, D.C., Guam, and Puerto Rico took part in the broader campaign.
Through television coverage, community events, online features, and adoption drives, participating organizations were able to put thousands of shelter animals in front of potential adopters.
The goal was not only to encourage people to bring pets home, but also to highlight the personalities and stories of animals who can sometimes be overlooked while living in shelters.
For tens of thousands of those animals, the attention made a life-changing difference.
By the end of this year’s campaign, approximately 135,000 pets had traded shelter kennels for homes of their own — adding another major milestone to an initiative that has already helped more than a million animals find families.