The Joplin Humane Society will be holding an adopt-a-thon on June 25 and 26 to give pets displaced by the May 22 tornado a second chance at a forever home. The event is being sponsored by the ASPCA and PetSmart Charities.
The ASPCA awarded the Joplin Humane Society a $100,000 grant to provide nearly 1,300 displaced cats and dogs emergency shelter and care. The shelter has worked tirelessly to try to reunite as many pet owners as they could with their cats and dogs. They have even held cats and dogs twice as long as the mandatory waiting period in order to ensure they could reunite as many pets with their owners as possible.
During the adopt-a-thon, nearly 600 cats and dogs will be up for adoption. The adoption fee will be waived during the event. All animals will come with their age-appropriate vaccinations, collars, ID tags, microchip, and will be spayed/neutered. Additionally, all cats have been tested for Feline Leukemia and FIV and all dogs have been tested for heartworm. All dogs have also been "SAFER" tested for aggressiveness, according to the Joplin Humane Society. Cats and dogs will all go home with a "goodie bag," and cats will also be provided with a carrier.
You do not have to be a Missouri resident in order to adopt during this event. All adoptions will be on a first-come basis and all potential adopters must fill out an application to be considered. After a cat or dog has been adopted, the organization will follow up with a call in order to ensure the adoption is working out and to answer any questions adopters may have.
Adopters of these pets do not have to give the pet back to its former owner if he or she comes forward, however, an adopter may volunteer to do so.
If you are interested in a special needs pet, please check out the Joplin Humane Society's Facebook page. All potential adopters need to apply for special needs pets in advance. Special needs pets will have a variety of needs. For instance, a special needs cat may have Feline Leukemia, be FIV positive, be a senior, or have a broken bone. Likewise, a special needs dog may have heartworm, be a senior, or have a temporary medical injury.
If you are interested in adoption both a dog and a cat during the event, you must fill out both the dog and the cat adoption application forms. You can find the cat adoption application form here and the dog adoption application here. The organization requests you print, fill out, and bring the application with you when you attend the adopt-a-thon.
During the adopt-a-thon, tours of the ASPCA Mobile Animal Crime Scene Investigation Unit, dog and cat rescue demonstrations by the Missouri Emergency Response Services team, and other activities will also take place. Food and music will also be present during the event.
To reiterate, you do not have to be a Missouri resident to adopt a cat or dog at this event and all adoptions are free of charge.
If you can afford it and have room in your home and heart for a pet, I hope you will attend the adopt-a-thon on June 25 and 26. Please spread the word about this great event; all these precious animals deserve a second chance at a forever home.
You can get more information about the adopt-a-thon by visiting the Joplin Humane Society website.
Sources:
Joplin Humane Society
CatChannel: Adopt-a-thon to Help Joplin Tornado Cats and Dogs
nice blog and a worthwhile post
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