After resounding success, the statewide
adoption event will return to California in June
2025
SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 18,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, California Animal Welfare
Association (CalAnimals), the San Francisco Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SF SPCA) and the ASPCA (The
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) announce
the results of the first-ever California Adopt-a-Pet Day, with
3,609 pets adopted into loving homes on June
1. The day-long event included more than 170 animal welfare
organizations across the state working collaboratively to nearly
double the original goal of finding homes for 2,024 pets. The ASPCA
provided funds to cover the cost of the adoptions at participating
shelters so that they were free to the public.
Of the 3,609 total pets adopted on California Adopt-a-Pet Day,
there were 1,977 cats, 1,541 dogs, and 91 others, including
rabbits, guinea pigs, and other small animals. One of the pets
matched with a loving family was a dog named Nelly, a 3.5-year-old
mastiff mix, who had been in the care of Friends of the Alameda
Animal Shelter (FAAS) for 1.5 years after originally arriving at
the shelter as a stray. Described by shelter staff as being sweet
and shy, Nelly was finally matched with an adopter on California
Adopt-a-Pet Day after San Ramon
resident, Sahiba Singh, traveled 40
minutes to meet Nelly after seeing her on the shelter's social
media. Within a couple of minutes of meeting, Nelly, who normally
takes a long time to warm up to strangers, was sitting on Sahiba's
feet. Nelly, now nicknamed Nelly
Bean, was quickly adopted by Sahiba and is happily settling
in to her new home.
"Her little lopsided face is perfect. She jumped out at me
immediately. I read that she was shy and needed a quiet home. We
have that. I had to meet her," said Singh. "She's so happy here,
and we love her so much. We're going to give her a lifetime of
reasons to wag."
"I'm overwhelmed with gratitude by the number of Californians
that visited their local shelter on June
1st, and am thrilled to find that for many, this was their
very first time adopting a shelter pet," said Jill Tucker, CEO of CalAnimals. "Our shelters
are overcrowded with a variety of wonderful animals just waiting
for people to come and meet them, and it is our greatest hope that
members of the public will visit shelters first when they are ready
for a new pet. I want to thank all the shelters for participating
in this wonderful event to promote adoptions and extend my sincere
gratitude to the ASPCA and San Francisco SPCA for making this event
possible. We have illustrated that by working together, we can
truly make a difference."
"On June 1, we saw just how
important our animal shelters are to the people of California," said Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, CEO of the SF SPCA. "They
heard our call to action and responded in kind. As a result of this
event, thousands of households are now enriched by having a special
pet in their lives, and our shelters received the support and
attention they deserve."
"The success of California Adopt-a-Pet Day underscores the
tremendous appeal of shelter animals and the unique power of the
human-animal bond. It also is an inspiring message to shelters, pet
owners, and the animal welfare community that when we come
together, we can make change for animals in need," said
Matt Bershadker, President &
CEO, ASPCA. "Knowing that 3,609 shelter animals found homes in a
single day when national and local animal welfare groups work
together is proof that collaboration is key to saving more lives
not only in California but across
the country."
In recent years, California
shelters have faced a large influx of animals as the result of
ongoing challenges facing pet owners, including economic hardships,
the difficulties of accessing pet-friendly housing and the lack of
affordable veterinary care due to the shortage of veterinarians.
These challenges often force families to have to make the difficult
choice to part with their pets and have prevented many families
from adopting new pets. California
has one of the highest rates of renters in the country, and housing
is one of the largest barriers for families being able to keep or
adopt a pet.
California Adopt-a-Pet Day was managed by CalAnimals, which
focuses on the success of California animal welfare and sheltering
organizations in meeting the needs of animals and people in their
communities. The initiative was generously supported by the SF
SPCA, a nonprofit that works in San
Francisco, the Central Valley, and across California to ensure that every companion
animal has access to quality medical care, compassionate shelter,
and a loving home, and the ASPCA, the longest-standing animal
welfare organization in North
America that works on the frontlines across the country to
save, transform, and protect the lives of millions of dogs, cats,
equines, and farm animals in the fight against animal cruelty and
homelessness.
The next annual California Adopt-a-Pet Day will take place in
June 2025. For those interested in
adopting or fostering an animal, visit ASPCA.org/TheRescueEffect to
learn more.
About the California Animal Welfare Association
The
California Animal Welfare Association ("CalAnimals") formed in 2018
through a merger between California's two statewide animal-welfare
associations: California Animal Control Directors Association
(CACDA) and State Humane Association of California (SHAC). The
organization exists to support the success of animal welfare
and sheltering organizations in meeting the needs of animals and
people in their communities. Programs and activities include
trainings, conferences, certifications, disaster response,
leadership development, legislative advocacy and more. Interested
in learning more about the California Animal Welfare Association?
Visit www.calanimals.org.
About the San Francisco SPCA
The San Francisco SPCA is
an independent, community-supported, nonprofit animal welfare
organization dedicated to saving, protecting, and providing
immediate care for cats and dogs who are homeless, ill, or in need
of an advocate. The SF SPCA also works long-term to educate the
community, reduce the number of unwanted kittens and puppies
through spaying and neutering, and improve the quality of life for
animals and their human companions. The organization does not
receive government funding.
For more information, visit sfspca.org.
About the ASPCA®
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first animal welfare
organization to be established in North
America and today serves as the nation's leading voice for
vulnerable and victimized animals. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit
corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the
ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines,
and farm animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA assists
animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty
interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal
and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and
veterinary community through research, training, and resources. For
more information, visit www.ASPCA.org, and follow the ASPCA on
Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.
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SOURCE ASPCA