Special Adoption Challenge from the Humane Society of Berks County

March 29, 2007

Kennel Kapers Online
Special Adoption Challenge Issue!

In This Issue

HSBC Issues Adoption Challenge
Did We Forget To Mention the Cat Adoption Center?
Free To A Great Home Adoption Program Expanded

Quick Links

Cats...

And More Cats!

Penelope

Greetings!

We usually wait two weeks between sending out our E-Kennel Kapers but we are so excited about the opening of our new Cat Adoption Center and the expansion of our award-winning Free To A Great Home adoption program that we decided to send you this special Adoption Challenge issue! Please forward this to a friend or three!

HSBC Issues Adoption Challenge
Help us break all previous records!

2007 is shaping up to be a big year for the Humane Society of Berks County's adoption efforts. We want to start the year off with a bang by issuing an Adoption Challenge to Berks County and beyond! We want you to help us break our previous one day adoption record of 30 adoptions.

If you have been thinking about adopting a dog, cat, or small animal this year, why not do it this Saturday? We would love to have Saturday, March 31, 2007 remembered not just as the day the Cat Adoption Center opened but the day we adopted more pets into great homes than any other day in our history! Forward this to other folks you know who might like to join in our history making day! While you are waiting to adopt you can listen to some great music, grab a (hot) dog, and have a drink on our sponsors (Legacy Brewing, Barefoot Wine, and Pepsi Co.).

Learn more about the Adoption Challenge here...

Did We Forget To Mention the Cat Adoption Center?
Well, it's the Grand Opening!

Just in case you have missed our constant, excited reminders, this Saturday, March 31, is the Grand Opening of the Cat Adoption Center. Come check it out! The ribbon cutting is at noon, festivities start at 10 AM and go on throughout the day, and we'll have tons of cats for adoption. Plus, all those who made a contribution toward the project will get to see their name proudly displayed in a very cool and unique way.

More Cat Adoption Center details here...

Free To A Great Home Adoption Program Expanded
Saving the lives of older pets

The Free To A Great Home emergency adoption program was introduced in the summer 2005 to provide an incentive to adopt adult cats facing euthanasia due to a lack of space during the crowded summer months. The program was a runaway success, completely eliminating euthanasia among cats for space (resulting in hundreds fewer cats being put to sleep each year). It also led to record adoptions among both cats and dogs thanks to the press coverage and public attention the program received, as well as the first decrease in the rate of euthanasia in our shelter's history. It also received a Best Industry Practice for Adoption Programs Award from the American Humane Association in 2006.

The program's success in getting harder to adopt older animals into new homes has led the HSBC to apply the program to older cats and dogs year round! After two years of seasonal application of the program, we have found that adoptions through this program are by far our most successful with the fewest post adoption problems reported and the fewest adoption returns.

How the program works:

Interested adopters go through the normal adoption screening process.
If approved for adoption, any dog eight years and over and any cat eleven years and over are adopted at no charge.
Adopters receive all the same benefits and responsibilities as regular adopters.

The HSBC hopes that this expanded program will help even more older pets get the homes that they need and make room in our shelter for even more younger animals! Consider an older pooch or kitty (maybe get a puppy or kitten while you are at it!).

Learn more about adoption here...

The Humane Society of Berks County serves all of Berks County and surrounding communities, sheltering 7,000 animals each year. It is a nationally recognized, award-winning, private, non-profit organization funded through donations and service fees. In addition to enforcing Pennsylvania’s animal cruelty laws, the Humane Society offers adoption services, spay and neuter services, humane education, pet behavioral counseling, and help to stray, injured and mistreated animals.

Sincerely,

Humane Society of Berks County

email: kminor@berkshumane.org

phone: 610-921-2348

fax: 610-921-5833

web: http://www.berkshumane.org