PALMDALE — The annual Clear The Shelters pet adoption campaign starts Saturday, with adoption fees reduced to $10 for all dogs and cats at Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control’s seven animal care centers, including those in Palmdale and Lancaster.
The special promotion coincides with NBC 4 and Telemundo 52’s monthlong Clear the Shelters pet adoption and donation campaign, which is in its 10th consecutive year. The discounted rate includes adoption, spay/neuter, vaccination and microchip but not licenses or spay/neuter deposits if necessary. The promotion ends Sept. 10.
“Now more than ever, our Animal Care Centers need adopters,” LA County Department of Animal Care Center Director Marcia Mayeda said in a statement. “I want to urge anyone thinking of a new pet to come see us this month; we’re certain you will find the perfect pet for your family.”
Last year’s campaign led to more than 158,000 adoptions —lifting the all-time adoption total past one million–and raised over $575,000, the department said. More than 1,400 shelters and rescues representing 49 states and territories, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam — along with 152 NBC and Telemundo stations — participated in last year’s campaign.
Rhonda could use your help. The friendly, playful blue and brown-eyed 2-year-old Siberian Husky with a white and tan coat is available at the Palmdale Animal Care Center. So too is Talenti, a 2-year-old spayed female tortoise shell cat. There are plenty more cats and dogs available for adoption at the Palmdale and Lancaster centers.
Volunteer Robin Oliphant brought Talenti out of her cage.
“She was a hesitant when I put my hands in the cage, but now she’s fine,” Oliphant said. “It’s because she doesn’t know what to expect.”
The cat rubbed her head against a visitor’s hand and explored a cat tree.
Oliphant started at the Palmdale center in February. She and manager Daniel Dibene brought Rhonda outside to the enclosed play area.
“She’ll make someone a great dog,” Oliphant said of Rhonda.
Manager Daniel Dibene said volunteers are an important part of the care centers.
“If it wasn’t for the volunteers providing support for the staff here for the animals, they interact and do a lot of the viewings,” he said. “They have a lot more information on the animals that are here because they get to spend that time with them. They get to do a lot of the customer service that helps out.”
Rhonda was a stray who came to the Palmdale center on July 13. She appeared to be well-taken care of prior to coming to the center.
“People need to chip their dogs,” Oliphant said. “That $10 will get them a spayed or neutered dog or cat with the microchip.”
For those who cannot adopt but are still interested in participating in the campaign, the Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation accepts donations to enhance the care and outcomes for animals in county-operated care centers, the department said.
All donations are tax deductible and support programs like spay/neuter services, medical care, behavior and enrichment and grooming for care center animals. Care vouchers to help pets stay with their families, and disaster response for animals in danger, among others. For details, visit lacountyanimals.org/give.
