ST. LOUIS – Several animal shelters in the St. Louis metropolitan area will reduce adoption fees next month as part of a summer campaign.

The BISSELL Pet Foundation’s “Empty the Shelters” summer event will run from July 6-31 at shelters in Missouri, Illinois and dozens of other states.

At hundreds of BISSELL-supported animal shelters, adoption fees will start at $50 or less for a cat or dog.

“We are excited to team up with MetLife Pet Insurance to offer 30 days of pet insurance at no cost to the adopter, as well as the opportunity to purchase an annual pet insurance policy, which could make a difference in helping adopters deal with their pet’s unexpected illness or injury,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “Veterinary costs add up quickly, and too often, pet owners forgo care or surrender their beloved pets when they can’t afford treatment. This collaboration could help to enable more pets in more communities to be adopted through ‘Empty the Shelters’ and can help facilitate adopters seeking treatment to keep their pets healthy and in their new homes.”

As the nation’s largest-funded adoption event, “Empty the Shelters” has helped nearly 158,000 pets find loving homes with an average of 1,200 pets adopted per day during quarterly national events.

Not every BISSELL-supported shelter is participating for the full event. Potential adopters are encouraged to visit the “Empty the Shelters” website to find the nearest participating shelter and confirm information about adoptions.

In the St. Louis area, you can visit the Care STL Adoption Center or the Animal Protective Association of Missouri in St. Louis City, the Franklin County Human Society of Missouri in Union or a few select locations in the Metro East. Click here to find a participating shelter near you.