Mega adoption event set for May 16-17 at South Elgin Petco
Anderson Animal Shelter, 1000 S. LaFox St. in South Elgin, has teamed up with Petco, the Petco Foundation and Blue Buffalo for a mega-adoption event, featuring over 150 adoptable dogs and puppies of all breeds.
The adoption event will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and 17, at the South Elgin Petco, 364 Randall Road.
Follow-up adoption events will be held the weekends of May 23-24 at the Norridge Petco, 4161 N. Harlem Ave., Norridge; and the weekend of May 30-31 at the Elmhurst Petco, 199 S. Route 83, Elmhurst.
During the event, Petco staff will be available to assist with training advice, and representatives from Blue Buffalo will be on hand to provide free food samples and coupons. Memorial, biodegradable balloons will be launched hourly, and can be purchased in the name of a beloved pet for a $5 donation.
Funds raised will support pet cancer research.
Anderson Animal Shelter partners with overcrowded animal shelters in Oklahoma, assisting them by transporting highly adoptable dogs and puppies to northern Illinois, where they have a better chance of finding their forever home.
"Animal welfare is far different in Oklahoma than in our community," said Beth Drake, executive director at Anderson. "The areas where our Oklahoma partner shelters exist are some of the poorest in the country. Pet owners must choose between feeding their families and caring for their pets. Spay/neuter is just not a priority there."
As a result, Oklahoma has a huge pet overpopulation problem, and animal shelters are filled to capacity with highly adoptable dogs and puppies that have almost no chance of being adopted. Their only hope is to be transported to an agency like Anderson Animal Shelter.
"In Northern Illinois, most pet owners have the resources to care for their animals and to make sure they're spayed or neutered. That means Anderson is in a position to be able to offer assistance to animal shelters in areas of the country that are not so lucky," Drake said. "We are proud to partner with these Oklahoma shelters and to help them save the lives of homeless pets.
"We're also happy to be able to provide our community with an ethical alternative to purchasing a puppy from a pet store or backyard breeder. These are great dogs. Some lucky families are about to have their lives changed for the better by these wonderful animals," Drake said.
Upon arrival in Illinois, transported dogs and puppies are placed into foster homes, where they stay until ready for adoption. During this time, they are vaccinated, treated for internal and external parasites, fed high quality food, and trained with positive reinforcement training. They are also microchipped, spayed or neutered and up-to-date on vaccinations and dewormings prior to becoming available for adoption. All adoptions also include a free vet exam at a participating veterinary clinic and one free month of free pet health insurance.
Maria Schau, off-site adoption coordinator for the South Elgin shelter, said, "This is a great opportunity to meet some wonderful dogs and puppies. All sizes, breeds and ages will be available. There's no waiting period - you can take your new best friend home with you the day you adopt. With so many great dogs to choose from, at least one is sure to steal your heart … but if you choose two, our 'Better with a Buddy' program means the second adoption fee will be half-price!
"Our experience with Oklahoma dogs and puppies has been great! They tend to be extremely sweet-natured, and seem grateful for the chance to be adopted by a loving family here in Illinois," Schau said.
In an effort to reach their mega-adoption event goal of 100 adoptions, Anderson has reduced adoption fees to $300 for puppies under 6 months of age, $250 for ages 6 months to a year and $225 for dogs over a year of age.
An additional $75 obedience class deposit will be assessed for all dogs under a year of age. This deposit will be waived if the adopter registers for a Petco training course at the time of adoption.
"Our adoptions are an amazing deal," said Dr. Sharon Colgan, Anderson staff veterinarian. "Adopting from Anderson means you've chosen a healthy, spayed or neutered pet who is up-to-date on their vaccinations and dewormings. Paying for these services at a private practice vet clinic would cost upward of $500.
"Not only that, when you adopt from a shelter, you know you're saving a life, rather than supporting a puppy mill. That's a good feeling, and it's the ethical thing to do," Colgan said.
For information, contact Anderson Animal Shelter at (847) 697-2880 or visit them online at www.andersonanimalshelter.org.
Anderson Animal Shelter collaborates with public and private organizations and individuals to shelter, care for and promote the adoption of homeless, stray and unwanted companion animals. The 501(c)(3) charitable organization does not receive any federal or state funding. The shelter advocates for the compassionate and humane treatment of these animals through direct care, humane education and community outreach programs.
For information, including adoption, volunteering, donation drives and membership opportunities, visit www.andersonanimalshelter.org, email info@andersonanimalshelter.org or call (847) 697-2880.