From now until May 15, Brookhaven Animal Rescue League is participating in the national adoption event “Empty the Shelters,” sponsored by the Bissell Pet Foundation.

During this time, select dog and cat adoption fees will be discounted to $50 for dogs and $35 for cats. Some exclusions will apply. All adoptions include age-appropriate vaccinations, spay and neuter, and microchipping.

“Even at the regular cost of adoption, people save on new pet costs, but with this event people save even more,” said BARL volunteer Jollean Smith.

“At the shelter we have some dogs and cats who have been waiting a long time for a home and shelter staff are eager to see as many of them get homes as possible. The shelter works hard to care for the animals but it is no place for an animal to have to spend its life,” Smith said.

The three longest residents at BARL are the ones volunteers are most hopeful will be adopted during this event. These dogs are:

• Bub, a 2-year-old male lab mix, has been waiting almost 9 months.
• Darling, a 2-year-old female shepherd mix, has also been waiting almost 9 months.
• Prince Ali, a 3-year-old male lab mix, has been waiting nearly 10 months. Prince needs a special home with no small children.

The shelter’s oldest resident is 5-year-old Baloo, a staff favorite.

“We can’t see why he has not been adopted yet,” Smith said. “He is a sweet boy. He is sometimes selective about the dogs he wants to hang out with but often plays well with them. He is not a fan of cats. He is a big dog at almost 80 lbs. but as an older dog he is pretty laid back. He just wants to sit in the sun and nap.”

Plenty of cats are also available at BARL’s North Park Drive shelter, and at PetSense off Brookway Boulevard in Brookhaven.

The demand for animals to be taken in at BARL in the past year has been overwhelming on the volunteers and available resources. Interested persons who cannot adopt are encouraged to volunteer, or spread the word on spaying and neutering.

For more information, visit BARL.net or the shelter’s social media pages on Facebook or Instagram, or on YouTube.

“If your family is ready for a dog or cat now is a great time,” said Smith. “Come take advantage of this great event.”