CONCORD, N.C. – Starting Monday, the local Charlotte, North Carolina, NBC news station WCNC has teamed up with driver Alex Bowman and No. 48 partner Ally for the 2021 “Clear the Shelters” campaign to get as many furry friends adopted as possible around the Charlotte area.
The NBC initiative runs from Aug. 23 through Sept. 18, which is the date of the playoff night race at Bristol Motor Speedway. On Sept. 18, all adoption fees will either be waived or discounted with the goal to clear out the 10 shelters that are participating in the Charlotte area.
“The Ally ‘Clear the Shelters’ initiative is really cool,” Bowman said. “Working with Ally all year and working with Best Friends earlier this year and donating to a bunch of shelters, it’s really cool that they are all about giving back and helping a cause that’s close to my heart.”
There will be four weeks of virtual events with the shelters leading up to the big adoption day on Sept. 18. Listed below are the Charlotte-area shelters dedicated to getting each pet adopted within the month:
- CMPD Animal Care & Control
- Humane Society of Charlotte
- Lincoln County Animal Services
- Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement
- Catawba County Animal Services
- Greater Charlotte SPCA
- Rusty's Legacy Dog Rescue
- Humane Society of York County
- Cleveland County Animal Services
- Lancaster SPCA
Ally and Bowman already have made it their mission to end kill shelters by 2025. Through Best Friends Animal Society, both Bowman and Ally have each pledged $1,000 every week to an animal shelter in every city that is hosting a NASCAR Cup Series race in 2021. Ally bumps that number up to $10,000 if Bowman wins a race. So far this year, Bowman and Ally have donated $72,000 to shelters across the country.
“Obviously, I have two dogs at home,” Bowman said. “We want to find all the animals homes that need homes, and it’s really cool to be a small part of that.”
For those wanted to help “Clear the Shelters,” the campaign goes beyond the Charlotte area and is a nationwide charge. People looking to add a new furry member to their families can click here to see what shelters are participating in their area. For those who want to help in another way, donations can be made through WCNC here.