Bissell Pet Foundation’s “Empty The Shelters” campaign waves adoption fees through May 17

GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) The 10th annual Bissell Pet Foundation's Empty the Shelters campaign might be giving dogs something to wag their tales about.

"We are currently doing a promotion with Bissell, Bissell Foundation, they allow us to wave the adoption fees for families May 1st through May 17th," said South County Volunteer Foster Coordinator Victoria Feld.

In addition to waving adoption fees, the pets up for adoption are already vaccinated, spayed or neutered and micro-chipped.

"Our adoptions fee are generally only $110 but the $110 dollars can be used for pet supplies, right, so being able to do that really gets people in the shelter so foot traffic and adoptions seem to be much higher during these promotions," said Volunteer Foster Coordinator Victoria Feld.

People on the fence may want to foster for a day or more and see if the pets are a match for their home and family.

"A lot of the time they end up adopting them anyway and it is so great for me to say they don't have adoptions fees they are waves and that money can go somewhere else too," said Feld.

Santa Barbara County Animal Services in Goleta, Santa Maria and Lompoc have had 47 pet adoptions since the Empty the Shelters campaign began.

The adoptions included dogs, cats, chickens, and rabbits.

Animals Services hopes a pair German Shepherds named Mack and Brinx will be adopted together free of charge.

"They are both about 10 years old and this is a bonded pair we are trying really really hard to keep them together," said Feld.

Longtime volunteer Ezad Shojaee came to visit them.

"I love Shephards, unfortunately we get a lot of German Shephards, " said Shojaee, "So, whenever they are around I love spending time with them."

He said his condo is too small for them or he would adopt them.

He hopes people will come to see them and all the animals.

"I am sure if they see our dogs they will be in love with them instantly," said Shojaee.

There are younger dogs, too.

Some shelters, including Ventura County's in Camarillo, are experiencing overcrowding.

"Empty the Shelters" is intended to help reduce overcrowding nationwide.

Empty the Shelters runs through Sunday, May 17, 2026.

Santa Barbara County Animal Services shelters are open Tuesdays through Sundays.

People interested in adopting are welcome to check out the photos of the four-legged-friends available online.

For more information on animal adoption in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties visit;https://countyofsb.org/415/Animal-Services or https://animalservices.venturacounty.gov and https://asapcats.org and https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/heath-agency/animal-services