Actor, Director, Host, Producer and Writer to Serve as Campaign Spokesperson and Host of ‘Clear The Shelters’ TV Special Premiering on NBC Stations Nationwide Aug. 8
‘Clear The Shelters’ Has Led to Nearly 1.2 Million Adoptions & More Than $5 Million in Donations Since 2015
Visit ClearTheShelters.com to Find Participating Shelters or Donate Online Now Through Sept. 30
NEW YORK – July 28, 2025 – NBCUniversal Local announced actor, director, host, producer and writer Joe Manganiello is joining its Clear The Shelters nationwide pet adoption and donation campaign this August and, as part of his role, will serve as a campaign spokesperson and host of the annual the Clear The Shelters TV special debuting on NBC stations nationwide on Aug. 8.
Clear The Shelters is returning for its 11th consecutive year for an adoption campaign from Aug. 1 to 31, and an extended fundraising effort taking place now through Sept. 15. Clear The Shelters has led to nearly 1.2 million pet adoptions and raised more than $5 million for animal shelters since its 2015 inception.
Manganiello, who has an adopted Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix named Bubbles, currently stars in the Emmy-nominated film Nonnas, which is based on the true story of Joe Scaravella and the Italian restaurant he opened with local grandmothers as chefs. He is also host and executive producer of Deal or No Deal Island, which is available on Peacock. Manganiello recently finished production of the second season of One Piece.
“Rescuing my dog, Bubbles, is one of the best things I’ve ever done in my entire life,” said Manganiello. “I hope people can feel my honest enthusiasm and that it encourages them to experience an ounce of what I have if they are in a position to welcome a shelter pet into their lives. These animals have been abandoned and the shelters taking care of them need help. That’s why I’m proud to participate in Clear The Shelters to help promote pet adoption and raise funds to help shelters operate.”
Manganiello earned a BFA in acting from The Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama before becoming well known for his role on the hit series True Blood, the Magic Mike franchise, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, Pee Wee’s Big Holiday, Sabotage, Rampage, and Justice League.
As part of the 2025 Clear The Shelters, NBC- and Telemundo-owned and affiliated stations across the nation are partnering with animal shelters and rescues in their communities to promote pet adoption and raise funds for animal welfare – which can be directed to the shelter or rescue of the donor’s choice or the general fund. For information on shelters and rescues participating in the fundraising, visit ClearTheSheltersFund.org.
The 2024 Clear The Shelters campaign set a single-year adoption record by helping nearly 170,000 pets find new homes, and raised more than $500,000 for participating animal shelters. More than 1,600 shelters and rescues representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam – along with 139 NBC and Telemundo stations – participated in the 10th annual campaign, which was held Aug. 10 to Sept. 10, 2024.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a global leader in science-based pet nutrition and leading supporter of animal welfare, is returning as the national sponsor and partner of Clear The Shelters for the eighth consecutive campaign. Hill’s Pet Nutrition will support Clear The Shelters fundraising and campaign activities, along with in-kind food donations and adoption kits to help new pet parents at select participating shelters, which will include starter bags of Hill’s Science Diet, coupons, and other supplies.
Fundraising for the 2025 Clear The Shelters will once again be led by Greater Good Charities, a global nonprofit and longtime campaign partner. Donations to the general fund can be made now through Sept. 15, and donations directly to individual shelters can be made from Aug. 1 to 31 at ClearTheSheltersFund.org.
Virtual pet adoptions are also returning for the seventh consecutive campaign through WeRescue. The WeRescue website and app enable users to browse adoptable pets in their area by breed, gender, size, and more, apply to adopt, and ask questions directly to shelters.
This campaign, The Black Dog will partner with Clear The Shelters for the first time. The restaurant and apparel company will allow customers to donate to the Clear The Shelters fund by rounding up their total for purchases. The Black Dog will also create a special collection of Clear The Shelters-branded merchandise, and will donate a portion of the proceeds to the fund, and host adoption events at their retail locations.
For more information on Clear The Shelters, including participating animal shelters and rescues, along with details on local events and television programming, visit ClearTheShelters.com and the Spanish-language site DesocuparlosAlbergues.com, and follow Clear The Shelters on social media:
- X: @ClearTheShelter
- Instagram: cleartheshelters
- TikTok: @cleartheshelters
- Hashtags: #ClearTheShelters & #DesocuparLosAlbergues
About Clear The Shelters
NBCUniversal Local’s Clear The Shelters™ is an annual nationwide pet adoption and donation campaign held each August. As part of the initiative, NBC- and Telemundo-owned and affiliated stations partner with animal shelters and rescues in communities across the U.S. to promote pet adoption and raise funds for participating shelters. Since its 2015 inception, Clear The Shelters has led to nearly 1.2 million pet adoptions and raised more than $5 million. Longtime campaign supporters include Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a national sponsor for eight consecutive years, Greater Good Charities and WeRescue. Clear The Shelters was inspired by a 2014 North Texas pet adoption event hosted by NBC 5 / KXAS and Telemundo 39 / KXTX. For more information, visit ClearTheShelters.com.
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 across TV, streaming and digital platforms. NBCUniversal Local consists of three media groups – NBC Owned Television Stations, NBC Sports Regional Networks and Telemundo Station Group – plus multicast networks COZI TV, TeleXitos and American Crimes, 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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