Marcia Mayeda, Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 29, 2026

CONTACT: Christopher Valles, accpio@animalcare.lacounty.gov

Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control Partners with NBCUniversal for Clear the Shelters 2026

The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) is proud to announce its partnership with NBCUniversal and Telemundo 52 for the 2026 Clear the Shelters campaign. Throughout the month of August, DACC will waive adoption fees at all seven of its animal care centers as part of this nationwide effort to help pets find loving, permanent homes.

Clear the Shelters, now in its twelfth year, has helped more than 1.3 million animals find a second chance at a forever home since its inception in 2015. Shelters across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Guam participate in the annual campaign, raising awareness of pet adoption and highlighting the ongoing need to reduce shelter overcrowding. An estimated 5 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters nationwide each year, underscoring the critical importance of initiatives like Clear the Shelters.

Participating County of Los Angeles Animal Care Centers:

• Agoura Animal Care Center
  29525 Agoura Road
  Agoura Hills, CA 91301

• Baldwin Park Animal Care Center
  475 North Elton Street
  Baldwin Park, CA 91706

• Santa Clarita Valley Animal Care Center
  31044 Charlie Canyon Road
  Castaic, CA 91384

• Carson/Gardena Animal Care Center
  216 West Victoria Road
  Gardena, CA 90242

• Downey Animal Care Center
  11258 South Garfield Avenue
  Downey, CA 90242

• Lancaster Animal Care Center
  5210 West Avenue I
  Lancaster, CA 93536

• Palmdale Animal Care Center
  38550 Sierra Highway
  Palmdale, CA 93550

“Clear the Shelters is one of the most impactful animal welfare events of the year,” said  Director Marcia Mayeda. “By removing financial barriers to adoption, we open the door for more families to welcome a new companion into their lives. Every pet adopted not only gains a loving home but also helps relieve the pressure on our shelters and staff. We are grateful to partner again with NBCUniversal and encourage our community to visit a shelter this August and help give these animals the second chance they deserve.”

For more information on Clear the Shelters 2026 or to view adoptable animals, please visit DACC’s website at https://animalcare.lacounty.gov/  or contact us at Contact DACC – LA County Animal Care & Control.

“Every animal in our care system deserves a safe and loving home, and this month offers an opportunity to bring joy into your life by adopting a shelter pet,” said Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “Many adoptable pets enter shelters through no fault of their own, often as a result of rising housing costs, a lack of pet-friendly housing, deportation, abuse, neglect or displacement caused by emergencies across Los Angeles County. Clear the Shelters Month is about more than waiving adoption fees. It is an opportunity to give a deserving animal a second chance and find a loyal companion for life.”

About the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC)

DACC is one of the largest animal care and control agencies in the nation, operating seven animal care centers and providing services to more than three million residents and their pets. DACC operates under the nationally recognized Socially Conscious Sheltering model to ensure the best possible outcomes for animals and the community. As a community resource center for pets and owners, DACC protects people and animals from harm, provides care for lost and unwanted animals, reunites lost pets with their families, and strives every day to move closer to its goal of finding a loving home for every adoptable pet that comes through its doors. To learn more about DACC, the resources DACC provides, and view its animals, visit https://animalcare.lacounty.gov  or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).  To support DACC’s efforts, please donate to the Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation at https://lacountyanimals.org/.  To learn more about Socially Conscious Sheltering, visit https://scsheltering.org/.

About the Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation

The Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit charity with the highest ratings from Charity Navigator and Candid.  It supports the County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control through fundraising which supports spay and neuter programs, pet adoptions, public education, disaster response, and animal welfare. Many of the Foundation’s fundraising efforts have enabled the DACC to enhance the care given to animals in the County animal care centers. To learn more, visit https://lacountyanimals.org.