Clear the Shelters is this Saturday, and we wanted to share some tips for everyone who will be joining us on August 18 to make sure the event is fun and successful for everyone involved.  During Clear the Shelters, adoption fees will be waived on all adoptable animals, which makes this one of our busiest days of the year.  We will be opening early at 11:00 a.m. to accommodate all of our extra visitors, and NBC4 will even be joining us at our shelter to broadcast the event! 

Please note that while adoption fees are waived, standard adoption policies and procedures still apply; click HERE to learn more.

About Clear the Shelters

In 2017, we adopted nearly 70 animals, and we hope to find homes for dozens more animals this year.  Even if you aren’t adopting a pet on August 18, you can still be part of the success of Clear the Shelters.  We will be waiving adoptions fees, but we recognize that the care and treatment of our adoptable animals has costs, like medical exams and vaccinations, food, microchipping and more.  

Please consider pledging to Clear It Forward to help us defray some of these expenses, so we can continue to support Alexandria’s adoptable animals all year long.  Whether you choose to donate an amount per animal adopted or pledge a fixed amount, your donation will help us continue to support our adoptable animals all year long.

How It Works on Saturday

If you are planning to join us on Saturday, please read below for more information on how Clear the Shelters will work:

• We will be hosting a yard sale beginning at 10:00 a.m. with all types of supplies you might want for your new pet, so stop by early for crates, carriers and more.
  
• We will also be hosting a bake sale, so if you are planning to stake out your spot in line, you can get drinks and goodies for your wait. 
• Please keep in mind that it might be hot and/or rainy that day, so come prepared to wait outside, including supplies you might need to stay cool and/or dry.  For safety reasons, we may only allow a certain number of visitors in the shelter at one time, meaning new arrivals will need to wait for others to leave before they can enter.
• Due to the number of visitors expected, our parking lot may be full when you arrive. Additional parking will be available at Joseph Hensley Park (4200 Eisenhower Avenue, across the street and slightly west of the shelter), and you can park there in the event the shelter lot is full.
• When you arrive, you will be given a form with your number in line and an Adopter Survey.  If you have animals you are interested in meeting, you can note them on the form at that time.  Check out our website before you arrive and while you’re waiting in line to see who will be available for adoption during Clear the Shelters. Otherwise, you can add the names of the animals you’d like to meet/adopt as you see them in the building.
• If you are waiting in line, we will have a board outside that lists animals who have been adopted, and you can check the progress at our website home page.
• Adoptions (and in the case of dogs, visits with potential adoptees) will occur based on the order of the sign-in sheet at the adoptions desk by the cat area, not your place in line.  We will schedule visits with dogs and adoptions consultations as the names are listed on the sign-in sheet, rather than the order of arrival.
• If you already have a dog at home that you want to introduce to your newest family member, they do not need to wait in line with you.  Dog-to-dog meetings will take place between 3:00 – 4:30 p.m., and you will receive your dog meeting time slot after you first meet with an adoptable dog so you can bring your current dog later in the day.  A hold will be placed on that dog until the meeting can occur.
• After you have selected an animal you want to adopt, sign in for an Adoption Consultation at the adoptions desk.  Our staff will be meeting with many potential adopters all day, so stay close to hear your name when it’s called.  If everything goes well with your Adoption Consultation and your chosen pet is spayed/neutered, then he/she will be ready to leave with you today.
• All of our Adoption Forms take just a few minutes to complete, so we will have them available for you at the adoptions desk.  You can see our Adoption Surveys for our Dogs, Cats and Small Animals so you know what types of questions we’ll be asking.
• If the pet is not yet spayed/neutered, we will hold him/her at no cost to you until the surgery can take place, and you can pick up your pet after the surgery is complete.
• All dogs will need a flat (not extendable) leash before they leave us on Saturday, and all cats and small animals will need to travel home in a carrier.  You can bring your own carrier with you or purchase them from us onsite on Saturday.  Used carriers will also be available as part of our yard sale.

Track Adoptions Live August 18

You can follow our Clear the Shelters adoptions live on August 18 on our home page, beginning at 11:00 a.m., so whether you join us in person or online, thank you for helping us Clear the Shelters!  

 

 

 

Why Clear It Forward?

Each year, thousands of animals come to the AWLA in need of assistance.  Learn more about two of those animals, Libby and Dwayne, and how your donation to Clear It Forward today can help adoptables like them all year long!