Several Bay Area shelters to reduce adoption fees for national "Empty the Shelters" event

LAKELAND,Fla. - It's a problem impacting shelters nationwide: overcrowding due to record numbers of owner-surrender & stray intakes.

Humane Programs & Public Media Director for SPCA Florida in Lakeland, Randa Richter, told FOX 13 that some are unable to afford or properly care for their pets.

"Most of the stories are that they can no longer afford their pet, or they need to move to a smaller unit and they do not allow pets, or they allow smaller pets, not big pets," Richter explained. "So it's a lot of financial reasons and space issues." 

Richter says her team is first able to offer potential surrendering owners resources through owner assistance programs such as free food, supplies and vaccines.

READ: Cypress Point Park becoming an area for plane spotters to watch flights coming in and out of TPA

But she understands that some can't make it happen. 

With so many lives on the line, Bissell Pet Foundation is again prompting a call for adoption by hosting a national "Empty the shelters" event.

It's the nation's largest funded adoption event and has helped nearly 190,000 pets find homes since 2016.

From October 1 to 15, more than 300 shelters across 42 states will have reduced adoption fees of $50 or less, including several in the Bay Area, like SPCA Florida in Lakeland.

READ: Family celebrates child being cancer free at John Hopkins All Children's Run

The campaign allows each shelter to set its own adoption rules. 

"Here at SPCA Florida, dogs who are two years or older, their adoption fee has been reduced to $50 and any cat two years or older, their adoption fee has been reduced to $30," Richter said.

Before you hear that news and run, SPCA Humane Programs Director Randa Richter wants people to remember that owning a pet is a huge responsibility.

"It's a lifetime commitment," Richter stressed. "So if you're ready to have a forever friend in your household and be by their side until it is time for them, this is the perfect fit."

If not, you can always help your local shelter by fostering, allowing the animals to get a nice little break and trade their kennel for a couch.

SPCA Florida also has a "first date" option for potential adopters, where people can take a dog or cat out for the day on a "first date" to see how well they get along with the animal outside the shelter walls.

Click here for an interactive map of participating shelters near you.