Citrus County Animal Services offers reduced fee adoptions in statewide effort to fight shelter overcrowding

BISSELL Pet Foundation Announces Emergency “Empty the Shelters” Event

BISSELL Pet Foundation is hosting an emergency “Empty the Shelters” adoption event at 10 Florida shelters from Thursday, February 24 through Monday, February 28, 2022, including Citrus County Animal Services (CCAS). This is a statewide effort to relieve overcrowded shelters after their assistance with a large-scale neglect case in Santa Rosa County, FL. BISSELL Pet Foundation will sponsor reduced adoption fees of $25 or less per dog or cat to help pets find loving homes.

• CCAS, located at Airport Rd, Inverness, FL will be open regular hours Thursday – Saturday, with special opening hours on Sunday and Monday for the Empty the Shelters event.
• Animals will be available for a reduced $10 adoption fee.
• Interested adopters can find more details online at www.citrusbocc.com. 

The “Empty the Shelters” event began in 2016 to encourage more families to choose adoption. Since its inception, BISSELL Pet Foundation has expanded its “Empty the Shelters” reach to organizations in 45 states and Canada, partnering with more than 400 shelters. As a result, more than 83,000 pets have been adopted through “Empty the Shelters” events. This is the first time that CCAS has participated in this partnership.

“Shelters throughout Florida are coming together to support Santa Rosa County Animal Service and the pets from this devastating case utilizing the BISSELL Pet Foundation “Empty the Shelters” event model,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “Collaboration saves lives and BISSELL Pet Foundation is honored to be a part of the journey for these pets and the shelters that have taken them into their programs. Thank you to Santa Rosa County Animal Services for giving these dogs a second chance, and to Best Friends Animal Society for providing ground support for the Santa Rosa team.”

This emergency adoption event aims to find adoptive homes for pets often overlooked in animal shelters. “We are truly excited to help with this initiative, as we know how hard it is to have a sudden influx of neglected animals that need your care,” said CCAS Director, Colleen Yarbrough. “We are helping pay it forward and back to those who have helped us during our times of crisis.”

For more information on adopting or donating to “Empty the Shelters,” visit www.bissellpetfoundation.org/empty-the-shelters and/or www.citrusbocc.com.

About BISSELL Pet Foundation:

BISSELL Pet Foundation is a charitable 501©(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to help reduce the number of animals in shelters through pet adoption, spay/neuter programs, 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 5,300 shelters and rescues across the U.S. and Canada to help pets find loving homes. The foundation is supported by generous donors and BISSELL Homecare, Inc where every purchase saves pets. To learn more, visit www.bissellpetfoundation.org.