Naperville-area Adoptathon to help match pets with owners
There are marathons, walkathons, dance-athons and even kissathons.
In that vein, the Naperville Area Humane Society's adoptathon is just what it sounds like.
"We are literally open for 24 hours straight," said Angie Wood, the shelter's assistant executive director.
From 2 p.m. Saturday through 2 p.m. Sunday, the Naperville facility will welcome potential pet parents.
Dogs, cats, kittens and puppies will be there, waiting to make their best first impressions. Wood said shelter officials take in a few more animals in anticipation of the event so there will be no shortage of friendly feline and canine faces.
"We do have maybe a few more animals than we usually would have for adoption," she said. "There're lots of animals that need homes."
She estimates that between 60 and 75 animals are adopted each month from the Naperville shelter. At the adoptathon, she said, animals' odds of finding a new place to call home jump up.
"In the past, we've had as much as 35 get adopted during the course of the event," she said.
Wood said about half the shelter's animals are pets given up by owners for a variety of reasons. The other half are transferred from other animal facilities. Most are mixed-breed animals; Wood estimates 25 to 30 percent are purebreds.
After filling out what Wood calls "Pets and People Profile cards" visitors will have opportunities to interact with animals they are considering for adoption.
New adoptive parents don't take their new pets home on the spot. Wood said animals are ready to go home 24 hours later, "provided they are spayed or neutered," giving potential new parents time to carefully consider their decision.
All animals adopted through the Naperville Area Humane Society must be spayed or neutered to prevent the creation of future generations of homeless animals. Wood said all animals are checked by a veterinarian and given appropriate vaccinations before they are released. Those costs are included in adoption fees, which range from $125 for cats to $250 for puppies, she said.
Visitors also will get to tour the American Humane Association's Rescue Rig, an 82-foot semi-trailer tailored for disaster response. The vehicle, outfitted with veterinary equipment and supplies, animal crates and sleeping quarters for human rescue workers, will be parked on site throughout the event, Wood said.
The adoptathon usually attracts 100 to 150 visitors, she said.
"They should be prepared to come and meet some animals," she said, "and find one that's right for their family, one they can open their home and heart to."
If you go
What: Naperville Area Humane Society's fifth annual Adoptathon
Where: 1620 W. Diehl Road, Naperville
When: 2 p.m. Saturday through 2 p.m. Sunday
Info: (630) 420-8989 or napervillehumanesociety.org