NBC & Telemundo Stations’ 2024 Nationwide Initiative Raised More Than $500,000 for Participating Shelters
‘Clear The Shelters’ Has Led to Nearly 1.2 Million Adoptions & More Than $5 Million in Fundraising Since 2015
NEW YORK – (Oct. 2, 2024) – NBCUniversal Local’s milestone 10th annual Clear The Shelters nationwide pet adoption and donation campaign helped nearly 170,000 pets find new homes – recording the highest single-year adoption total in the initiative’s history – and raised more than $500,000 for participating animal shelters. The 2024 adoption initiative was held Aug. 10 to Sept. 10, with a fundraising period of Aug. 1 to Sept. 30.
This year’s record adoption total of 168,832 surpassed the previous individual campaign high, established in 2022, by more than 7,000pets. Since its 2015 inception, Clear The Shelters has now led to nearly 1.2 million pet adoptions and generated more than $5 million in funds benefiting shelters.
The 2024 Clear The Shelters – conducted by NBCU Local in collaboration with longtime campaign partners Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Greater Good Charities and WeRescue – featured 139 participating NBC- and Telemundo-owned and affiliated stations, which partnered with more than 1,620 shelters and rescues in all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam to promote pet adoption and fundraising to support animal welfare.
“It’s a privilege to once again share the amazing results and impact of another record-breaking and milestone-setting effort to help pets find new homes and support the tremendous shelters that care for them when they’re most vulnerable,” said Meredith McGinn, NBCUniversal Local’s EVP of Diginets & Original Production and Clear The Shelters leader. “The success of this initiative is driven by our wonderful campaign partners, including our longtime national sponsor, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, affiliate stations, and employees across the nation. Our sincerest thanks go to them and those who adopted and donated so generously this year.”
2024 Partners, Features & Highlights –
Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a global leader in science-based pet nutrition, served as the national sponsor of Clear The Shelters for the seventh consecutive campaign. This year, Hill’s Pet Nutrition provided more than $100,000 to support Clear The Shelters fundraising and campaign activities, along with in-kind food donations and adoption kits to help new pet parents, which included starter bags of Hill’s Science Diet, coupons, and other supplies.
“This year’s historic adoption numbers are a testament to the power of the collaborative spirit of this campaign and a welcomed outcome given the ongoing capacity crisis shelters are facing,” said Yvonne Hsu, US President and General Manager of Hill’s Pet Nutrition. “As a caring company, Hill’s Pet Nutrition is proud to have played a role in helping deserving pets find new homes and we extend our gratitude to all of the campaign partners and shelters across the country who participated in this life-saving initiative.”
“Clear The Shelters helped more than 168,000 pets get a second chance this year, and we are so proud to have been a part of it,” Hsu added. “The passion and commitment of everyone involved, from shelter staff to adopters, drives us all to continue providing the best possible nutrition and care to ensure these pets thrive in their new homes.”
Greater Good Charities, a global nonprofit organization that works to help people, pets, and the planet, was again the Clear The Sheltersfundraising partner. Through the online platform, built by Fundraise Up, donors could cover transaction fees so that 100 percent of funds went directly to the shelter or rescue of their choice.
Virtual pet adoptions also returned for the sixth consecutive campaign through WeRescue. The WeRescue website and app enable users to browse adoptable pets in their area by breed, gender, size and other factors, submit their adoption applications, and ask questions directly to shelters.
On Aug. 13, NBCU Local, Greater Good Charities, Hill’s Pet Nutrition and The Animal Rescue Site conducted a Clear The Shelters pet airlift to transport 99 cats and dogs from overpopulated shelters in Louisiana and Alabama to New Jersey, where they were received by shelters, given any needed care and placed for adoption. The Clear The Shelters airlifts have transported more than 600 pets over five missions since 2021.
As part of the Clear The Shelters airlift, $50,000 from Hill’s Pet Nutrition and $25,000 from The Animal Rescue Site was presented to Greater Good Charities to support shelters participating in the Clear the Shelters Fund. In addition, Hill’s donated 5,000 pounds of Hill’s Science Diet to shelters that sent cats and dogs on the airlift.
Actor, producer and singer-songwriter Amanda Seyfried joined this year’s campaign to host the Clear The Shelters TV special, which premiered on NBC stations and COZI TV nationwide on Aug. 16. The program looked back at some of the campaign’s most incredible adoption stories through the years and featured content from The Dodo, the leading animal and pet brand and longtime Clear The Shelters media partner.
The Desocupar Los Albergues TVspecial was presented on Telemundo stations and the Telemundo regional news streaming channels starting Aug. 16. The 30-minute show, led by Elva Saray of Acesso Total and Aleyda Ortiz, of En Casa Con Telemundo, delivered Spanish-speaking audiences moving pet rescue and adoption stories, as well as advice for new pet owners.
A Clear The Shelters MEGA adoption event took place Aug. 17-18 in North Texas, the birthplace of Clear The Shelters, to help celebrate the campaign’s 10th anniversary. In partnership with NBC5 and Telemundo 39, dozens of area animal shelters and rescues convened at the Amon G. Carter Jr. Exhibits Hall in Fort Worth, Texas. That weekend, more than 700 pets were adopted into new homes.
Visit ClearTheShelters.com and DesocuparLosAlbergues.com for more information.
Follow Clear The Shelters on social media:
- X: @ClearTheShelter
- Instagram: cleartheshelters
- TikTok: @cleartheshelters
- Hashtags: #ClearTheShelters & #DesocuparLosAlbergues
About Clear The Shelters
Clear The Shelters™ / Desocupar Los Albergues® is an annual, nationwide pet adoption campaign that is led by NBCUniversal Local. Every year, NBCUniversal Local’s NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations, plus affiliated stations, partner with animal shelters and rescues in their communities promote pet adoption and raise needed funds. Clear The Shelters was inspired by a 2014 North Texas pet adoption event hosted by NBC 5 / KXAS and Telemundo 39 / KXTX Dallas-Fort Worth that resulted in the most adopted pets in one day for North Texas. Since 2015, Clear The Shelters has led to nearly 1.2 million pet adoptions and raised more than $5 million for participating shelters and rescues.
About NBCUniversal Local
NBCUniversal Local, part of NBCUniversal News Group, is comprised of more than 50 media properties, including local TV stations and regional sports networks that deliver English and Spanish-speaking audiences in 30 U.S. markets and Puerto Rico comprehensive news, weather, consumer and investigative reporting, lifestyle and entertainment content and live sports coverage across television, streaming and digital platforms. NBCUniversal Local consists of three individual media groups – NBC Owned Television Stations, NBC Sports Regional Networks and Telemundo Station Group – plus multicast networks COZI TV and TeleXitos, regional cable news network NECN, and 16 free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels – including 11 NBC local news, four Telemundo regional news channels and NBC LX Home. NBCUniversal Local also features NBC Spot On, an advanced CTV and OTT advertising platform; LXTV Productions; marketing and promotions company Skycastle; out-of-home business NBC Everywhere; and The Arthouse, a graphic design group.
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