The 2026 Clear The Shelters initiative, presented by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, has enabled more than 135,000 pet adoptions and raised nearly $500,000 for animal shelters since its launch on August 1. Since its inception in 2015, the program has facilitated nearly 1.5 million adoptions and collected more than $6 million in donations.
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Meredith McGinn, Executive Vice President of Diginets & Original Production at NBCUniversal Local and leader of Clear The Shelters, stated that the campaign illustrates the positive impact communities can have when they unite to help animals in need. She expressed gratitude to Hill’s Pet Nutrition and other partners for their support of the initiative, highlighting its ongoing contribution to shelters and pets nationwide.
The 2026 campaign involved over 100 NBC and Telemundo stations working with more than 1,200 shelters across 153 markets in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Fundraising efforts began on July 15 and ran until September 15.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition has been a proud supporter of Clear The Shelters for nine consecutive years, now serving as the presenting sponsor. The company provided adoption kits for participating shelters, which included starter bags of Hill’s Science Diet, coupons, and other necessary supplies. Carrick Massey, Senior Vice President of U.S. Marketing at Hill's, noted the increasing importance of campaigns like Clear The Shelters in addressing capacity challenges at animal shelters across the country.
Greater Good Charities managed online fundraising for the campaign, which accepted donations from July 15 through September 15, and allowed direct contributions to individual shelters from August 1 to August 31 at ClearTheSheltersFund.org.
WeRescue returned as the exclusive technology partner, enabling users to browse adoptable pets based on various criteria and apply for adoptions through their platform. Additionally, The Black Dog partnered with Clear The Shelters for the second year in a row, allowing customers to round up their purchase totals as donations and hosting adoption events in their locations.
Both NBC and Telemundo featured specials showcasing Clear The Shelters, with high-profile celebrities, including Matt Damon from Universal Pictures' The Odyssey. The specials aired on August 7 and are available for viewing on Peacock.
For more details about Clear The Shelters, visit ClearTheShelters.com or the Spanish-language site DesocuparlosAlbergues.com.