Discounted adoption fees for adult cats and kittens are being offered at the Highland County Humane Society Animal Shelter in Hillsboro through Saturday, Dec. 10.

The event is sponsored through the BISSELL Pet Foundation’s Empty Shelters — Holiday Hope program, and this is the first time the Hillsboro facility has participated in the event.

“We are very excited to partner with the Bissell Pet Foundation for the first time and look forward to a successful adoption event,” said Richelle Fair, the new shelter director.

Through Dec. 10, the Hillsboro shelter’s cats and kittens will be available for adoption for a lower rate, but will still receive all the same medical care including felv/fiv testing, vaccines, dewormer, flea and tick treating, microchipping, and spay/neuter.

The cost is $50 for kittens under six months and $30 for cats more than six months. The fee for barn cats is $10.

No application is needed. Just come to the shelter, located at 9331 S.R. 124 east of Hillsboro, from 12-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, meet the available cats and kittens and find your new family member.

The event will be hosted in more than 275 shelters in 43 states.

“BISSELL Pet Foundation is in constant communication with our shelter partners across the country and they are struggling with unprecedented increases in owner surrenders and longer stays for pets,” said Cathy Bissell, founder of the BISSELL Pet Foundation. “With so many great pets waiting in shelters, our Empty the Shelters – Holiday Hope event is the perfect opportunity to save a life through adoption and create space to give another homeless pet a chance. If you can’t adopt, please consider fostering.”

The BISSELL Empty the Shelters event is the largest funded adoption event in the country. The lifesaving event began in 2016 with a goal of encouraging more families to choose adoption. Nearly 160,000 pets have found loving homes since its inception, according to a news release.

“Pet adoption is a lifetime commitment, and not just for the holidays,” the news release said. “BISSELL Pet Foundation and the Highland County Humane Society urge families to do their research about the pet they are interested in adopting, as well as adoption requirements. For more information on adopting or donating to Empty the Shelters, visit www.bissellpetfoundation.org/empty-the-shelters and www.highlandcountyhumanesociety.com.”

BISSELL Pet Foundation is a charitable 501©(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to help reduce the number of animals in shelters through pet adoption, spay/neuter programs, vaccinations, microchipping and emergency support. Founded in 2011 by Cathy Bissell, BPF is an extension of her long-standing love for animals and commitment to their welfare. BPF has since partnered with more than 5,600 shelters and rescues across the U.S. and Canada to help pets find loving homes, the news release said.

Information for this story was provided by Sarah Roe, treasurer, Highland County Humane Society Board of Directors.