San Antonio shelters align for March 7th adoption event

Courtesy of esd&associates

Committing to find “forever homes” for San Antonio’s thousands of homeless animals is the primary goal of the City’s OwnUp SA initiative. Since its introduction by Mayor Phil Hardberger in February of 2006, adoption rates have increased throughout area shelters. Over 20 local corporate and civic leaders have taken up the Own Up SA cause, which focuses on bringing companion pets together with a permanent home to aid in achieving “No Kill” status by 2012.

To keep this momentum going, the largest spring pet adoption event is happening March 7th, providing the public a chance to fall in love with a new pet. Every adoption helps to bring San Antonio closer its “No Kill” goal. From 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., there will be hundreds of dogs and cats, both young and mature, at the Rim Shopping Center at IH-10 and La Cantera Parkway (next to Life Time Fitness).

One of the benefits of adopting a shelter pet is that all cats and dogs are spayed or neutered. When weighing the costs of a new pet, choosing an animal from the shelter saves money on veterinarian costs. All of the companion pets at the March 7th event will be ready and eager to meet their new families and be given the gift of a lifetime.

“It’s imperative to our community that adoption numbers keep growing and the number of unwanted and abandoned pets goes down,” says Lisa Norwood, spokesperson for Animal Care Services.

Norwood joins Julie Lakin of Alamo Area Partners for Animal Welfare (AAPAW) and other community leaders in seeking to stop the euthanasia of the 30,000 companion pets that are killed in area shelters annually. Dozens of AAPAW partners will be in attendance and handing out goodies and information at the adoption event.

“I know the people of San Antonio have enough room in their hearts to take in all the healthy homeless pets currently living in our shelters. These cats and dogs become part of your family; they truly are the gift of a lifetime,” adds Lakin.

OwnUp SA urges everyone to take responsibility for companion pets by pledging to spay or neuter, provide a safe and healthy home, and adopt, foster or help homeless animals. The OwnUp SA Consortium of Partners oversees implementation of the San Antonio Animal Care Services Strategic Plan with the central goal of achieving No Kill by 2012.

AAPAW is a coalition made up of over 40 animal shelters and rescue organizations in and around the San Antonio area that work in partnership to promote adoptions, education and spay/neuter programs.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

• Please attend the March 7th Super Adoption event at the Rim Shopping Center. By adopting your next pet, you help save a life.
• Spay or neuter your current pets.
• Get involved by volunteering, fostering, reporting animal cruelty, and financially supporting the no-kill movement in San Antonio.

For more information:
• OwnUp SA
• Alamo Area Partners for Animal Welfare (AAPAW)
• City of San Antonio Animal Care Strategic Plan

Posted by Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends staff
Photo credit: taken by Jennifer Hayes