THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COURTESY OF VERMILION CO ANIMAL SHELTER & BISSELL PET FOUNDATION
300+ shelters nationwide reduce adoption fees and find loving homes for pets
[Danville, IL — 12/4/2025 ] BISSELL Pet Foundation, a national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending pet homelessness, is bringing holiday hope to homeless pets across the country with its Empty the Shelters® – Holiday Hope reduced-fee adoption event, taking place December 1–15, 2025.
VCAS will participate in the nationwide event to help deserving shelter pets find loving homes. During this time, BISSELL Pet Foundation sponsors reduced adoption fees of $70 or less per cat or dog to make adoption more affordable this holiday season.
VCAS will participate December 1-15 at both the shelter location and PetSmart store in Champaign, IL. This event includes $0 adoption fees for all dogs and cats, including puppies, kittens, and animals in foster homes. Visit https://www.vercounty.org/animal-shelter/ for details, adoptable pets, and event hours
“This year has placed enormous pressure on shelters across the country, as more families face financial hardship and housing changes that force them to surrender beloved pets,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “If you’re considering adding a pet to your family, adoption has so many benefits. Shelters have desirable pets of every size and age—many who have lived in homes, are house-trained, already spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and ready to become part of your family—all for a fraction of the cost of buying from a breeder or pet store. Our Empty the Shelters Holiday Hope event is a chance for all of us to end the year by giving shelter pets what they deserve most—a loving home.”
“Through Empty the Shelters, families are able to bring in new pets without the financial barrier of an adoption fee,” said Kate Suchodolski, Shelter Programs Manager at VCAS.
Empty the Shelters is the nation’s largest funded adoption event and has helped more than 374,000 pets find homes across the U.S. and Canada since its inception in 2016. Sponsored by BISSELL Pet Foundation, the program works with hundreds of animal welfare organizations to reduce adoption fees and make pet adoption accessible to more families.All pets available through participating shelters are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. Each shelter determines its own adoption process—prospective adopters are encouraged to contact shelters directly for details.
About BISSELL Pet Foundation:
BISSELL Pet Foundation is a charitable 501©(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to help reduce the number of animals in shelters through pet adoption, spay/neuter, vaccinations, 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 more than 6,025 shelters and rescues across the U.S. and Canada to help pets find loving homes. The foundation is supported by generous donors and BISSELL Inc. where every purchase saves pets. To learn more, visit www.bissellpetfoundation.org.
