(Left) Oreo (A515744) is a curious and friendly 2-year-old bunny. This sweet girl will gladly hop over to you to say hello! (Middle) One-year-old terrier mix Morel (A516137) loves meeting new people and can often be seen giving kisses and rolling on her back for belly rubs! (Right) Pedro Pascal (A514353) is a sweet 6-year-old cat who likes to follow his people around, lounge on the floor, and watch “cat TV” (birds and squirrels through the window). Pasadena Humane’s “Clear the Shelters” adoption event is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 17. The shelter has almost 200 pets up for adoption. Learn more about adopting a new pet at pasadenahumane.org

Clear the Shelters is back! Now in its 10th year, this impactful nationwide pet adoption and donation campaign promoted by our friends at NBC and Telemundo has helped more than 1 million shelter pets find new homes.

Nearly 700 of those pets have come from Pasadena Humane during our annual “Clear the Shelters” free adoption day event. Last year’s event set a record-breaking total for the years we’ve participated with 100 animals adopted, including 22 dogs, 73 cats and five critters.

In addition to being a great day for the animals and adopters, it’s a great day for staff and volunteers. You will hear shouts of joy and see some tears of joy when our longer-stay shelter pets finally go to their new homes.

Big adoption events like “Clear the Shelters” are a lifeline for shelters like ours. With so many adoptions in a single day, we are able to open up much-needed kennel space during our busiest time of year.

Bringing people and pets together is truly one of the best parts of the job. Every adoption marks a new beginning, not just for our animals but for the people who will soon come to love them.

If you want to bring more love, joy and companionship into your life, here are 5 reasons to adopt right now:

Shelters need your help: Summer is the busiest season for animal admissions. Local shelters, including Pasadena Humane, are full of adoptable dogs, cats and critters. In fact, we have almost 200 pets looking for new homes right now. With more animals coming in every day, it’s critical we find homes for these loving pets.

It’s kitten season: Summer is the purr-fect time to find a young feline friend. This time of year, our Neely Cat Center is bursting to the seams with adoptable kittens. Consider adopting a pair to provide additional health and wellness benefits for you and your new fuzzy felines.

Summer fitness: Whether walking your new pup in the cool early morning or engaging in an air-conditioned play session with your recently adopted cat, pets help us stay healthy during the summer by encouraging physical activity. Just be mindful of outdoor temps when exercising with your dog. Heat stroke and paw pad burns are dangerous for our pets.

August is National Dog Month: This month, we celebrate the canine companions who add so much fun to our lives. What better way to spend the dog days of summer than by adopting a new pup? When you adopt, you not only save the life of the pet you adopted, but you free a kennel for another pet in need.

Fee-waived adoptions: For our annual “Clear the Shelters Day,” we are waiving the adoption fees for all available dogs, cats and critters. Whether you are looking for a kitten, a senior pup, a rabbit, or a guinea pig, we have a pet to match your family and lifestyle.

I hope I’ve inspired you to adopt a new pet this month, either from Pasadena Humane or another shelter. But, if you are not able to adopt, consider volunteering or donating to support shelter pets.

Pasadena Humane is open for adoptions 7 days a week. Our adoption counselors are ready and waiting to match you with a new pet.

All adopted dogs and cats are spayed/neutered, microchipped and up to date on vaccines, including those matched during “Clear the Shelters” event this Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 17, at 361 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena.

To learn more about adopting a new best friend, pasadenahumane.org

Dia DuVernet is president and CEO of Pasadena Humane.

This blog post originally appeared as a column in the Pasadena Star-News on August 16, 2024.