The Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter is participating in the BISSELL Pet Foundation’s “Empty the Shelters” Holiday Hope adoption event from Dec. 1–15, 2025, offering $10 adoption fees for cats and dogs as part of an effort to place more animals in homes ahead of the Christmas holidays. The county-run promotion lowers the standard barrier to adopting and aims to accelerate placements during a season when many families are looking to add a pet.

Organizers described the multi-day event as a limited-time opportunity: adoption fees for cats and dogs available through the shelter will be reduced to $10 during the Empty the Shelters effort running Dec. 1–15, 2025. The promotion applies to multiple animals up for adoption and is timed to increase placements in the final stretch of the year.

Samantha Pope, the shelter’s assistant shelter supervisor and K-9 behaviorist for Santa Rosa County, has been highlighting a handful of residents in the days leading up to the event, including two dogs named Betty and Keito and Caesar, a long-haired domestic cat. Pope said the pre-event presentations are intended to help families meet animals, ask questions and assess fit before the official adoption day.

Volunteers and staff have staged photo features and meet-and-greet sessions to give each animal an extended chance to connect with prospective adopters, emphasizing individual personalities rather than relying on broad appeals. Staffers have been preparing animals for visits and arranging intake and adoption procedures through the facility so adoptions can be completed smoothly during the Dec. 1–15 event.

The shelter encourages visitors to come early to view animals and to contact the facility directly to learn about viewing times and any requirements. Visitors who meet animals such as Caesar can also learn about the shelter’s adoption process and about what is included with an adoption during in-person meetings with staff and volunteers.

County animal-services staff said the promotion follows broader seasonal patterns. National shelter data show that pet adoptions, especially dog adoptions, often peak in the final quarter of the year, with December seeing increased adoption numbers compared with many other months. Shelter Animals Count data and other national analyses have found that about 61% of animals entering U.S. shelters are adopted annually, with another portion reclaimed by owners or transferred to other organizations.

Local officials noted that special promotions such as the “Empty the Shelters” Holiday Hope event can accelerate placements when shelters are more crowded during year-end months. The Santa Rosa County event is one of the jurisdiction’s planned efforts to reduce the number of animals in care before the holidays, officials said, pairing reduced fees with targeted outreach to help match animals and adopters.

For those planning to bring a shelter pet into their homes, the shelter briefly outlined standard readiness steps during meet-and-greets: pet-proof the house by securing or removing toxic foods, medicines, plants, electrical cords and small or chewable objects, and ensure windows, doors and trash are safely closed or blocked. Staff also suggest setting up a quiet, dedicated space with a comfortable bed, food and water dishes and a place where a new pet can retreat and acclimate.

Staff and volunteers stressed that the day aims to be thorough as well as welcoming: presentations before the event give adopters time to ask about temperament, medical history and behavioral needs, and the shelter said it will continue intake and adoption operations on a regular schedule in the days surrounding the promotion. Those interested in adopting ahead of Dec. 1 are encouraged to contact the Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter directly to confirm viewing times, required documentation and any pre-adoption steps.

For background on national trends and year-end adoption data, organizers referenced ShelterAnimalsCount. The county’s Empty the Shelters event from Dec. 1–15 is intended to be a focused push to match animals like Betty, Keito and Caesar with homes for the holidays while tapping into historically higher adoption activity in December.

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Original reporting: view the original article.