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Young-Williams Animal Center offers $25 adoptions to ‘Empty the Shelters’ with BISSELL Pet Foundation

October 1, 2020

Fall adoption event takes place nationwide Oct. 1-4 to find forever homes for homeless pets

On October 1-4, BISSELL Pet Foundation (BPF) is teaming up with 160 shelter and rescue partners in 33 states, including Young-Williams Animal Center, to reduce adoption fees and find forever homes during Empty the Shelters (ETS). All adoptable pets at the shelter, excluding puppies, can be adopted for $25, and BISSELL Pet Foundation will sponsor the remainder of the adoption fee. To adopt, apply online and schedule your appointment between Oct. 1-4.

“Our shelter is full of cats and dogs waiting to be adopted this fall,” Young-Williams Animal Center CEO Janet Testerman says. “We hope this Empty the Shelters event will ensure animals at our shelter find their forever homes. The more adoptions we have, the more space we can offer for stray and lost pets.”

All adoptable pets are $25, excluding puppies. Cats over 3 are always free.

The adoption special at Young-Williams Animal Center will be available from Thursday, Oct. 1-Sunday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., with a break from 1-2 p.m. for animal quiet time. Pets will be available for adoption at the main shelter at 3201 Division St., off Sutherland Avenue, and the Animal Village satellite adoption location at 6400 Kingston Pike. Following social distancing guidelines, Young-Williams Animal Center staff will allow 10 guests in the shelter at a time, five on the cat adoption floor and five on the dog adoption floor.

With fostering pets becoming so prevalent during COVID-19, BPF also will honor foster-to-adopt cases that start as fosters during the weekend of Oct. 1-4 and are finalized up to one week after the event.

With the unforeseen COVID-19 pandemic, along with the recent Hurricane Laura, BPF has offered more assistance to shelter partners than ever before. This will be the sixth ETS event this year and with the overwhelming demand, BPF needs your support to continue its lifesaving work through the rest of 2020. When you give to Empty the Shelters, 100% of your contribution will help a shelter pet find a forever home.

“BPF is happy to host Empty the Shelters events as our budget allows because we know it works for our shelter partners and the pets in their care,” said Cathy Bissell, founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “By sponsoring adoption fees during ETS, we make it a win-win for everyone involved.”

Adoption staff will help potential adopters find the right pet for their lifestyle and needs and complete the application process online, over the phone and by email. Every animal adopted at Young-Williams Animal Center during the special promotion will receive the same services covered by the regular adoption fees, which include a veterinary exam, spay/neuter surgery, some standard vaccinations, a microchip with registration and more.

Since the program’s inception in 2016, ETS has helped 40,550 shelter pets find homes.

You have the opportunity to save a life by choosing adoption or making a contribution to the ETS fund at www.bissellpetfoundation.org/empty-the-shelters-donations.

About BISSELL Pet Foundation:
BISSELL Pet Foundation is a charitable 501(c)(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 5,000 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.

About Young-Williams Animal Center
The vision of Young-Williams Animal Center is “a home for every pet.” It is the municipal shelter of the City of Knoxville and Knox County, and each year takes in more than 9,000 animals.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Young-Williams Animal Center serves the needs of lost, unwanted, abandoned and neglected animals. The center’s mission is to lead the community to end pet homelessness, promote animal welfare and enhance the human-animal bond through the shelter and placement of animals, spay/neuter initiatives and public education of companion animal issues. Young-Williams Animal Center reminds pet owners to spay and neuter their pets.

Young-Williams Animal Center’s main facility is located off Sutherland Avenue at 3201 Division Street. Young-Williams Animal Village satellite adoption location and public spay/neuter program is located at 6400 Kingston Pike.

Both locations are open seven days a week from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The shelter closes from 1-2 p.m. for an hour of quiet time for the animals. For more information about Young-Williams Animal Center, call 865-215-6599 or visit https://www.young-williams.org/.