Sunday, July 31, 2005
96 new homes. 96 happy pets. 96 more spaces.
As of this morning, 96 previously homeless dogs, cats, bunnies and guinea pigs have new homes.Yesterday was the All Day Adoptathon, from 9 AM to 9 PM. We held it in both of our facilities simultaneously and ended up with 28 different shelters and rescue groups represented.
Things got started early, the second the doors opened to the public and it stayed packed right through morning til late afternoon when it finally started to slow down a little. It seemed everyone had heard about the All Day Adoptathon, and took advantage of the event to meet representatives and available pets from lots and lots of organizations. We were on the morning news before the event, the evening news, the radio. People heard about it from various websites, pet stores, bulletin boards, and friends.
While the official total was 96, I have no doubt that the number will climb over 100 in the next few days as adoptions from people who took a little more time to think about a particular pet start to come in.
What does 96 adoptions mean?
To those homeless pets, a lot. Instead of sharing time and attention from harried fosters and shelters workers, trying to do right by many pets, they will get the love and cuddles from one family, who commited to them, and to making them part of their home.
And to the other homeless pets out there, especially those at risk in crowded public shelters, this means 96 more spaces. 96 animals at risk in public shelters, the kind that have no ability to slow the number of incoming animals, will be able to move into those foster homes and shelters that now have space. And that is probably the best news of all!
Good job, and thanks to all who participated: Alameda City Animal Shelter, Berkeley Animal Care Services, Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society, Countryside Rescue, 4 Paws Pet Rescue, Friends-Fairmont Animal Shelter, German Shepherd Rescue of Northern California, Hopalong Rescue, Island Cat Resources and Adoptions, Milo Foundation, Nine Lives Rescue and Adoptions, Northern Ca. Sled Dog Rescue, Oakland Animal Services, Rabbit Ears Rescue, San Francisco SPCA, Smiley Dog Rescue, Cavy Spirit Guinea Pig Rescue, Community Concern for Cats, Friends of the Formerly Friendless, Friends-Fairmont Animal Shelter, Golden State Greyhound Adoption, Hayward Animal Services, Humane Society Silicon Valley, Northern Ca. Boxer Rescue, Ohlone Humane Society, Tri-Valley Rabbit Rescue, and Valley Humane Society.
These tireless folks began setting up at 7:30 AM and stayed all day long, or until they ran out of pets!
And of course, big thanks to our staff at the Oakland and Tri-Valley SPCAs. The day was extra challenging as our online shelter software, Shelter Buddy, picked yesterday to be off line: all. day. long.
That meant all our adoptions were recorded manually, which is a challenge in the best of circumstancs but nearly impossible at an event like this.
Oh well. I didn't hear anyone complaining about too many adoptions!
