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Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQ

BISSELL Pet Foundation supports animal shelters and rescues throughout the country. We are so sorry that your pet needs assistance, however, we do not provide funding to individuals.

BISSELL Pet Foundation does not have pets to adopt, nor is it a place to surrender a pet. We suggest you visit your local shelter or rescue to adopt a pet.

BISSELL Pet Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization separate and independent from BISSELL Inc. Any inquiries or requests intended for BISSELL Inc. should be directed to bissell.com.

To activate a donation on a purchased product, visit the BISSELL website at https://www.bissell.com/pets/save-pets.

Empty the Shelter FAQ

Visit the Empty the Shelters page to see a list and map of participating organizations.

BISSELL Pet Foundation does not have a shelter or animals available for adoption. 

Almost every breed you can think of can be found for adoption at shelters and rescues.

You may be required to pay up to a $50 adoption fee during Empty the Shelters. You are also responsible for paying any dog licensing fees (varies by county).

Each participating shelter chooses which pets will participate in Empty the Shelters.

You must contact the participating shelter to complete their adoption application. You do not need to register with BISSELL Pet Foundation, just the shelter.

Event time varies by location – visit the Empty The Shelters page to view locations & event times.

“Pre-approval” means you must complete an adoption application and be approved to adopt prior to Empty the Shelters. Please contact the organization you wish to adopt from for more information.

We encourage you to apply at each shelter – each location can have a different application process, and you’ll want to make sure to fulfill those requirements so you’ll be all set for the event.

Partners for Pets FAQ

Partners for Pets organizations must be recognized by the IRS as a 501(C)(3) nonprofit or public (local government) animal welfare organization within the 50 United States. Your organization must submit an application in order to be considered for the program. Learn more here. 

Eligible organizations include:

  • Shelters
  • Foster-based rescue groups
  • Clinics with low-cost veterinary care or spay/neuter programs
  • Spay/neuter support organizations (TNR, vouchers, etc.)

Partner organizations can update their information in their grant portal.

Animal welfare organizations need only apply for Partners for Pets once. If you were accepted into the program, you will remain a partner unless specifically notified. View all partners listed by state by visiting Partners for Pets.

If you do not see your organization’s name on the list and you believe it should be, please reach out to info@bissellpetfoundation.org.

Please remember that to be in good standing, Partners for Pets members must have the BISSELL Pet Foundation logo displayed on their website. If you do not have the logo displayed, please verify you are a partner first on the Partners for Pets webpage and then reach out to info@bissellpetfoundation.org to receive the logo.

View our current partner shelters, rescues, and animal welfare organizations by visiting the Partners for Pets webpage.

With more than 5,600 partners throughout the United States, we are no longer able to sustain a product donation to each partner. All product donation requests should be directed to BISSELL Homecare (not BISSELL Pet Foundation). Our team is unable to make this request on your behalf.

BISSELL Pet Foundation receives an overwhelming number of applications for our Partners for Pets program. We take great care in vetting each organization. Please allow three months for our team to make a decision regarding your organization’s application.

Your organization’s Partners for Pets application status will not update within your grant portal account. Your organization will receive an email to the applicant’s email address regarding our decision. If you have not received an email within three months of your application submission, please reach out to info@bissellpetfoundation.org and we can provide you with an update.

When applying for Partners for Pets, you will be prompted to login to the grant portal. You will select ‘New Applicant’ to create your organization’s account within the grant portal. Organizations only have a login once they have applied for P4P or have received a grant. To update your organization’s information, please visit our Active Grantees page and click the ‘Partner Information Update’ button.