Manatee County Animal Welfare is partnering with Best Friends Animal Society on a pet adoption campaign this weekend, encouraging people to choose to adopt, not buy, their next pet. 

The adoption event runs from Friday, September 16, through Sunday, September 18, at all Manatee County Animal Welfare (MCAW) locations. The Palmetto Adoption Center (located at 305 25th Street West in Palmetto) and Bishop Animal Shelter (at 5718 21^st Ave. W in Bradenton) are open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 1 pm to 4 pm on Sunday. The Cat Town Adoption Center (located at 216 6th Ave. E in Bradenton) will be open 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday but will be closed on Sunday.

Adoption fees for all pets are waived. Adopters will receive a complimentary gift bag for their new pet (while supplies last), plus an entry to win a special prize basket, courtesy of the Friends of Manatee County Animal Welfare. Adoptions include spay/neuter, microchip and rabies certificate (a value of over $300). Manatee County residents are required to license their new pet for an additional $20. 

“This National Adoption Weekend is an opportunity to bring home a forever friend,” said Manatee County Animal Welfare Division Chief Sarah Brown.

Recent data released by Best Friends showed that U.S. shelters were seeing an increase in animal intakes and a decrease in pet adoptions from shelters. This has steadily turned into a crisis in the animal welfare community, where many shelters are over capacity.