Humane Society’s event this week strives to ’empty the shelter’

Been thinking about adopting a pet? This is the week to do it.

The Sioux Falls Area Humane Society is participating in the national Empty the Shelters adoption event, hosted by Bissell Pet Foundation. It’s a multiple-day event when the cost of adopting an animal from the Humane Society will be reduced and is run nationally in more than 40 states to help reduce overcrowding in shelters.

At the Humane Society, dog adoption fees will be $25 and cat adoption fees will be $5.

“We’re just the recipient here, and Bissell is paying for the gap between what the people are paying and what the actual adoption fee is,” Humane Society marketing manager Bethany Buitenbos said. “So they’re covering that difference, which is great for the Humane Society but also great for the community because then they’re getting those pets at a lower cost that we would never be able to do without their support.”

This is the first time the Humane Society will be running the event during the summer, Buitenbos said. The Humane Society’s first Bissell event was in November. She said she anticipates that there will be more than 100 animals available for adoption during the event. 

The Empty the Shelters adoption event runs through Sunday.