Animal shelters across the country will come together this Saturday, July 23, 2016 for Clear the Shelters Day, a nationwide pet adoption initiative that aims to connect animals in need with loving new families.  Animal shelters, including many in New England, have agreed to cut the cost of adoption and be open for extended hours for this one-day annual event, organized in partnership with NBC Owned Television Stations and Telemundo Stations Group.

However, before getting caught up in the emotions of wanting to help animals in need, please remember that although rewarding, pet ownership is a lot of responsibility.  So before adopting, please do your research.  Does a pet fit into your current active lifestyle and work schedule?  Are you prepared for the cost of caring for a pet, including feeding, grooming and medical care?  Is your home environment ready for a pet?  Things to consider and additional information on the responsibility of pet ownership can be found on CleartheShelters.com, HumaneSociety.org, and Petfinder.com.

If you’d like to help, but don’t want to add a new pet to your family now, please remember your local shelters rely on the kindness of volunteers.  Take a moment to find out how you can help, donate needed supplies and food, volunteer to work with the animals, and help bring a little hope to the life of a shelter pet.

For more information, visit Clear the Shelters or call your local animal shelter.  Please note that some shelters are recommending submitting an adoption application for pre-approval before Saturday’s event.