Wednesday is the final day of the Bissell Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters National Adoption Event, where all dogs and cats 1 year of age and older can be adopted without any fees at any Hawaii Humane Society location across the islands. There are four locations in Oahu, Maui and Kauai total.

This annual event, which began on May 1, is to help the Humane Society across the nation help empty out their kennels, which are at capacity. 

When you adopt from the Humane Society, the organization is often fronting costs of approximately $560, for each adoptable animal, varying widely depending on individual needs. These can be routine vaccinations, flea/tick/heartworm preventatives, medical and behavioral evaluations and spay/neuter surgeries to complex emergency veterinary procedures and recovery.

If adoption is ultimately not the path for you, there are still alternative routes to consider. The Hawaiian Humane Society has resources on how to have a couch crasher, how to foster, donate and volunteer. Check out the website for details.

Nuy Cho is the executive producer of Spectrum News Hawaii. Read more of her stories here.