Lower Merion residents looking to add a pet to the family have until Saturday, Aug. 29, to take advantage of free or reduced-fee adoptions at several nearby shelters participating in NBCUniversal's annual Clear the Shelters campaign.

New Leash on Life USA, the Penn Valley nonprofit at 924 Bryn Mawr Ave. that pairs shelter dogs rescued from euthanasia with incarcerated individuals for 12 weeks of training before placing them in homes, is among the local participants. The organization can be reached at 484-432-1288 or at newleashonlife-usa.org.

The Montgomery County SPCA is also taking part, with its Conshohocken location at 19 East Ridge Pike (610-825-0111) the most accessible branch for township residents. A second location operates in Perkiomenville.

Two Plymouth Meeting rescues round out the nearby options: Brandywine Valley SPCA at 2100 Chemical Road (610-567-2933) and A Tale of Paws at 777 W. Germantown Pike (610-564-3200). Brandywine Valley SPCA's free adoption window closes Sunday, Aug. 16, earlier than the broader campaign's Aug. 29 finale.

The campaign, now in its 12th year, has led to more than 1.3 million pet adoptions nationwide since 2015 and raised over $5.6 million for participating shelters, according to NBCUniversal. Last year's effort alone resulted in more than 160,000 adoptions. Hill's Pet Nutrition is the 2026 presenting sponsor.

Specific adoption terms vary by organization. Main Line Media News reported that prospective adopters should check individual shelter websites or call ahead for details and remaining event dates.

Residents who want to support the effort without adopting can donate through ClearTheShelters.com, where Greater Good Charities is matching eligible donations through Monday, Aug. 31. A general fund drive continues through Sept. 15 at ClearTheSheltersFund.org.

Nearby participating shelters

  • New Leash on Life USA: 924 Bryn Mawr Ave., Penn Valley; 484-432-1288; newleashonlife-usa.org
  • Montgomery County SPCA: 19 East Ridge Pike, Conshohocken; 610-825-0111; montgomerycountyspca.org
  • Brandywine Valley SPCA: 2100 Chemical Road, Plymouth Meeting; 610-567-2933; bvspca.org (free adoptions through Aug. 16)
  • A Tale of Paws: 777 W. Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting; 610-564-3200; ataleofpaws.com