135,000 Pets Adopted and Nearly $500,000 Raised in 2026 Clear The Shelters Campaign

The 2026 Clear The Shelters initiative, presented by Hill’s Pet Nutrition and organized by NBCUniversal Local, resulted in over 135,000 pet adoptions and nearly $500,000 in donations to participating animal shelters. Launched in 2015, the program has now facilitated nearly 1.5 million adoptions and raised more than $6 million since its inception.

Meredith McGinn, NBCUniversal Local’s EVP of Diginets & Original Production and leader of Clear The Shelters, emphasized the campaign's positive impact: "Clear The Shelters demonstrates what’s possible when our communities come together to help pets in need. We’re proud of the meaningful impact this campaign continues to have for shelters and pets across the country, and grateful to Hill’s Pet Nutrition and all our partners who help make Clear The Shelters possible."

This year's campaign ran from August 1 to 31, coinciding with fundraising efforts from July 15 to September 15. More than 100 NBC and Telemundo stations collaborated with over 1,200 shelters across 153 markets in 47 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam.

Carrick Massey, Senior Vice President of U.S. Marketing at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, noted the importance of such programs, stating, "As animal shelters across the country face unprecedented capacity pressures, programs like Clear The Shelters are more critical than ever in supporting pets and the organizations that care for them."

This year marked Hill’s Pet Nutrition's ninth consecutive involvement in the campaign, serving as the presenting sponsor for the first time. The company provided adoption kits, including starter bags of Hill’s Science Diet and other supplies, to new pet parents through selected shelters.

Fundraising was led by Greater Good Charities, a longstanding campaign partner, from July 15 to September 15, with direct donations made during the adoption period. Virtual adoptions were facilitated by WeRescue, which allowed users to browse adoptable pets and interact with shelters.

The Black Dog, a restaurant and apparel company, partnered for the second year, allowing customers to donate by rounding up purchases. They also created a special merchandise collection, donating 50% of the proceeds to the fund and hosting adoption events.

Television specials aired on August 7, featuring high-profile guests, including Matt Damon for NBC's broadcast and the Telemundo special titled Desocupar los Albergues. For more information, visit ClearTheShelters.com and DesocuparlosAlbergues.com.