Corporate Giants and Nonprofits Unite to Boost Pet Adoptions Nationwide

KANAB, Utah – April 29, 2026 – By Amanda Clark

This May, a powerful coalition of corporate retailers and one of the nation’s leading animal welfare organizations is launching a sweeping nationwide campaign aimed at finding homes for thousands of shelter pets. Best Friends Animal Society, in partnership with major brands including Walmart, Skechers, and Blue Buffalo, is rolling out a multi-faceted initiative for National Pet Month. The campaign comes at a pivotal moment, as the country celebrates the sharpest decline in shelter animal deaths in six years, yet still faces challenges in achieving its goal of becoming a no-kill nation.

Throughout the month, more than 70 local shelters and rescue groups will join forces with these industry titans to host fee-waived adoption events, multi-day pet-centric festivals, and numerous in-store promotions designed to engage the public and boost adoption rates. The effort seeks to build on recent successes while addressing the ongoing need to support overcrowded shelters.

A New Era of Corporate Collaboration

The scale of this year's National Pet Month campaign is largely thanks to the deep involvement of its corporate partners, who are leveraging their vast resources and retail footprints to drive social impact. This synergy between business and advocacy represents a significant evolution in animal welfare efforts.

Walmart is set to play a central role, transforming 16 of its stores across the country into adoption hubs for the "Give Love. Save Lives." events. These events, held on select dates in cities from Las Vegas to Miami, will feature adoptable dogs and cats with all adoption fees waived. Furthermore, Walmart and Best Friends will host "Pawpalooza," a series of four three-day festivals in Dallas, Bentonville, Nashville, and Atlanta. These immersive events will offer pet food samples, custom pet accessories, and educational resources alongside fee-waived adoptions.

Skechers is continuing its long-standing commitment to animal welfare through its BOBS from Skechers charitable line. The company is renewing its collaboration with a $500,000 donation to Best Friends this year. Since 2015, the BOBS initiative has contributed over $14 million, helping more than two million shelter pets. This May, Skechers will host community adoption events at stores in New Jersey, Utah, Pennsylvania, and Florida, also waiving all adoption fees. Additionally, over 600 Skechers retail stores will feature a register roundup program, allowing customers to donate directly to the cause.

Pet food giant Blue Buffalo, which became the official pet food partner for Best Friends in 2024, is also making a substantial contribution. Through a partnership with Walmart, Blue Buffalo will donate to Best Friends for purchases of select products, pledging up to $550,000. These funds are earmarked to cover adoption fees at Best Friends locations nationwide all month long. This builds on Blue Buffalo's existing commitment, which includes donating over 500,000 pounds of pet food annually to the organization's lifesaving centers.

Sustaining the 'No-Kill' Momentum

This campaign is set against a backdrop of significant, hard-won progress in the animal sheltering world. According to recent data, 68% of U.S. shelters have now achieved "no-kill" status, defined as saving at least 90% of the animals that enter their care. This benchmark accounts for the small percentage of animals that are too sick or behaviorally challenged to be rehomed. The national save rate has climbed to 82%, a dramatic improvement from 71% in 2016.

However, the movement is not without its complexities and ongoing challenges. The term "no-kill" itself can be a point of contention, with some critics arguing it can lead to prolonged, stressful stays for animals in overcrowded shelters or cause limited-admission shelters to turn away the most vulnerable animals. The animal welfare system is also still grappling with a post-pandemic landscape where adoption rates have not fully returned to previous highs, leading to a capacity crisis in many shelters and an increased average length of stay, particularly for large-breed dogs.

Data transparency has also become a topic of discussion within the community. While organizations like Best Friends utilize sophisticated data-driven approaches to track progress, some have raised concerns that changes in reporting methodologies or sample sizes could inadvertently paint an overly optimistic picture by potentially excluding data from struggling, under-resourced shelters.

To address these complexities, Best Friends is hosting its annual National Conference in Salt Lake City from May 7-9. The event will bring together animal welfare professionals from across the country to share insights on data-driven techniques and collaborative strategies aimed at helping more communities reach and sustain no-kill status.

Lowering Barriers to a Forever Home

A cornerstone of the month-long initiative is the focus on making pet ownership more economically accessible. The upfront cost of adoption is often a significant hurdle for potential pet parents. By waiving adoption fees, the campaign directly removes this barrier, opening the door for a wider demographic of loving families to consider adoption.

Extensive research from organizations like the ASPCA and Maddie's Fund has consistently shown that fee-waived adoption programs are highly effective. Contrary to old fears, these studies confirm that adopters who don't pay a fee are just as committed and form equally strong bonds with their new pets. Retention rates for animals from fee-waived events are nearly identical to those from traditional adoptions, with one study finding 93% of dogs and 95% of cats still in their homes a year later. The most critical factor for a successful adoption, experts agree, is a thorough, conversation-based screening process, not the exchange of money.

This effort is complemented by Walmart's decision to reduce prices on 3,500 pet-related items, further easing the long-term financial commitment of pet care. Together, these strategies create a powerful incentive, encouraging adoption while supporting families in providing for their new companions.

"From coast to coast, every person in every community has a role to play in saving pets' lives," said Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society, in a statement. "This National Pet Month, Best Friends and our incredible partners are giving everyone an opportunity to propel the country toward a day when no healthy, treatable pet is killed in a shelter simply because they don't have a safe place to call home. We hope everyone will join us in changing the lives of homeless dogs and cats by adopting, fostering, volunteering, donating, and advocating this May and beyond."