City of Seattle Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor

NEWS ADVISORY
SUBJECT:   Seattle Animal Shelter open until 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    12/16/2008  9:25:00 AM	FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Don Jordan (206)386-4286 (206) 953-2529 cell Kara Main-Hester (206)386-4293 (206)255-9037 cell Katherine Schubert-Knapp  (206) 684-0909 Kathy Sugiyama  (206) 684-0909

SEATTLE – For prospective pet owners and last minute shoppers, the Seattle Animal Shelter will observe its normal hours, and will be open until 6 p.m. on Dec. 24 for pet adoptions or to purchase a gift certificate to help subsidize a future adoption. The shelter will be closed on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

As part of the national “Home 4 the Holidays” campaign to raise awareness of the joys of owning pets adopted from shelters, the Seattle Animal Shelter encourages people to visit and consider adopting a dog, cat, puppy or kitten, or consider giving gift certificates as holiday gifts to friends and family.

“Our goal is to find homes for all orphaned animals in the shelter and we’re hoping local families have room in their hearts and homes for a pet this holiday and all of the holidays to come,” says Animal Shelter Director Don Jordan.

Last year’s “Home 4 the Holidays” campaign was a tremendous success with more than 300,000 orphaned animals matched with loving families nationwide, and hundreds placed in new homes in Seattle, according to Jordan.

“There are so many good reasons for giving gift certificates toward the adoption of an animal from a shelter,” Jordan says. “You give orphaned animals a second chance in life and the recipients of certificates can take their time choosing their special pet from an amazing variety of dogs and cats – from mixed breeds to purebreds. Finally, by adopting from a shelter, you directly help reduce the suffering caused by the country’s tremendous pet overpopulation problem.”

Adopting an animal from the Seattle Animal Shelter saves that animal’s life and reduces unnecessary euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals. It is also a tremendous value. Adoption packages range from $60 to $165 and include:

·        Deworming

·        Free health exam at a local veterinarian’s office

·        Spay or neuter

·        Microchip

·        Seattle Pet License (if applicable)

To purchase a gift certificate, make a donation, talk with an adoption counselor or preview animals for adoption, visit the Animal Shelter at 2061 15th Ave. W., approximately one mile south of the Ballard Bridge. Year round the shelter is open every day noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions and from 9 a.m. for licensing, except on legal holidays. For more information, call (206)386-PETS (7387). Information and photos of animals currently available for adoption are posted on the shelter’s web site at www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

"Home 4 the Holidays" began in November 1999 when the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., organized all 14 shelters in San Diego County to work together finding homes for orphaned pets during the holiday season. The campaign began 10 days before Thanksgiving and continued through the end of the year. As a result 2,563 orphaned dogs and cats woke up New Year’s morning in their new homes.

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