People across California will be able to adopt a pet for free this Saturday during the state’s inaugural Adopt-a-Pet Day.

The California Animal Welfare Association (CalAnimals), the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals organized the event, which includes 150 California animal welfare sites where people can go to meet their new furry friends.

The goal is to find homes for 2,024 shelter pets.

The California Adopt-a-Pet Day website offers links to nearby animal shelters offering free adoptions on June 1, 2024. (Screenshot via caadoptapetday.org)

“California shelters are facing enormous pressures due to overcrowding conditions, as the number of animals entering shelters is outpacing those leaving,” said CalAnimals CEO Jill Tucker. “By increasing adoption demand and encouraging pet-ready families to visit their local shelter first, we can make a change.”

According to organizers, recent years have seen a national increase in the number of shelter animals partly due to a shortage of veterinarians, inflation and a lack of pet-friendly housing options.

California Adopt-a-Pet Day locations can be found online.

Kiley Russell writes primarily for Local News Matters on issues related to equity and the environment. A Bay Area native, he has lived most of his life in Oakland. He studied journalism at San Francisco State University, worked for the Associated Press and the former Contra Costa Times, among other outlets. He has covered everything from state legislatures, local governments, federal and state courts, crime, growth and development, political campaigns of various stripes, wildfires and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.