Clear the Shelters 2021 Helps Over 136,000 Rescue Pets Find Forever Homes

Thousands of rescue pets found loving homes this summer with help from Clear the Shelters.

According to a release from NBCUniversal Local, Clear the Shelters — NBC and Telemundo stations' annual pet adoption and donation campaign — helped "more than 136,000 pets finding new homes" during its 2021 campaign — and adoption results are still rolling in.

"In addition, more than $537,000 has been donated to participating animal shelters and rescues as part of the campaign's fundraising effort that remains in progress through Nov. 1," the release added.

Clear the Shelters 2021 launched in August, kickstarted by a lifesaving pet airlift on Aug. 23. NBCUniversal Local, Greater Good Charities, The Animal Rescue Site, and Hill's Pet Nutrition partnered to make Clear The Shelters flight mission possible. The flight transported 167 at-risk dogs and cats from overpopulated shelters to rescues with room to adopt out the pets.

Since the flight, New Jersey's St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center and Massachusetts' Northeast Animal Shelter and MSPCA-Angell have found homes for 66 of the airlifted dogs and all 99 cats. Hundreds of NBC and Telemundo owned and affiliated stations partnered with more than 1,300 animal shelters to help these airlifted pets — and thousands more — find families this year.

Since its start in 2015, the Clear The Shelters campaign has led to more than 688,000 pet adoptions. Animal lovers who would like to contribute to this year's successful campaign can still donate to the Clear the Shelters Fund. Thanks to Greater Good Charities and The Animal Rescue Site, the fund is free of transaction fees so that 100 percent of donations go to animals in need.