Humane Society Silicon Valley is among the animal shelters participating in California Adopt-a-Pet Day on Saturday, June 6, when shelters across the state will offer fee-waived adoptions, with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) providing grants to underwrite fees at most participating organizations.
When the event launched in 2024, 3,609 animals were adopted. Last year nearly 150 shelters participated, adopting out 4,979 pets in a single day. This year, organizers are aiming to clear 5,000 adoptions.
Of the animals adopted last year, 2,847 were cats, 1,900 were dogs and 231 were rabbits, guinea pigs and other small animals. Of the adopters, 46% were doing so for the very first time. Animals of all breeds, ages, sizes, and energy levels will be available at participating shelters, all of which routinely vaccinate, spay/neuter and microchip animals before adoption.
The event comes as animal shelters nationwide face ongoing capacity pressures from staffing shortages, limited pet-friendly housing and a lack of affordable veterinary care. In 2025, 5.8 million dogs and cats entered U.S. animal shelters and rescue organizations, while only about 30 percent of households are choosing to adopt their pets from these sources.
“When you adopt from a shelter, you provide a loving home to one animal while also freeing up space and resources to help other animals in need,” Lindsay McCall, vice president of shelter partnerships for the ASPCA, said in a release.
The ASPCA is organizing California Adopt-a-Pet Day along with the California Animal Welfare Association and the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. For more information, visit CAAdoptAPetDay.org.