Clear the Shelters campaign drives pet adoptions in Maryland and Wisconsin

The Linda L. Kelley Animal Shelter in Calvert County, Maryland, is waiving all adoption fees for August as part of the nationwide Clear the Shelters 2026 campaign and the state’s 3,000‑Adoption Challenge, which aims to place at least 3,000 animals in homes across Maryland during the month.

In Wisconsin, the Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha launched its portion of the same campaign by receiving a rescue flight carrying 60 animals—54 dogs and 6 cats. Twenty‑five of the rescued pets will remain at the society’s facility for adoption, with the remainder distributed to other shelters to meet local demand.

Both efforts illustrate the coordinated effort to move adoptable pets from overcrowded shelters to areas with higher adoption demand, providing spay/neuter surgery, microchipping, vaccinations and care packages for each animal.