This Saturday, the Santa Monica Animal Shelter is hosting its annual Clear the Shelter Day, moreover the adoption rates have been lowered to just $20, so pop down to 1640 9th Street between the hours of 8-5pm and help transform the lives of all those little love bundles and might even you find your four-legged soul mate.
Every year the Animal Shelter participates in this annual campaign to help the animals find homes. This year the Santa Monica Animal Shelter Foundation is subsidizing the pet adoption fees so they will be significantly reduced. They usually run at around several hundred dollars, which is more than many can afford.
“We’re subsidizing the adoption fees to help encourage more adoptions and help clear the shelter. If you’re thinking of adopting a pet we encourage you to please visit the Animal Shelter this Saturday,” said Elizabeth Noble, Chair, Santa Monica Animal Shelter Foundation, adding, “Staff will be available and ready to help you meet the wonderful animals that are waiting to be adopted, you might meet your new best friend.”
The Santa Monica Animal Shelter is currently over capacity and it needs space for the cats, dogs and other rescued animals that benefit from the care and attention the staff provide, before a new, forever home is found.
The Santa Monica Animal Shelter has seen “a steady and marked increase” in the number of owners surrendering their pets — which beggars belief — and that’s in addition to the number of animals arriving as strays. And as if that wasn’t enough, the number of actual adoptions is “significantly” down as well.
“Many of the animals, especially the dogs, have been waiting far too long in the stressful shelter environment and we want nothing more than to see them find the loving home they each deserve,” Noble said.
“Several of the dogs like Roger and Simba have been waiting patiently at the shelter for over a year. The longer a pet waits at the shelter the more you see them start to struggle.
“[We’re] dedicated to making sure that we’re doing all we can to help these great pets get adopted and to make sure they have all they need while they are at the shelter. There is so much that we are doing to help the animals while they wait, providing toys and lots of love and attention, but at the end of the day no number of walks, or cuddles, will change the fact they are at the shelter and not in a home,” said Noble.
Not only does the shelter have so many great dogs of all ages, different personalities and breeds, they also have many adorable cats and kittens and the sweetest rabbit in the west, Geoffrey, all crossing their paws and hoping that this Saturday is the day, the day they walk out the doors of the shelter and into their loving forever home.
The Santa Monica Animal Shelter Foundation will be there to help and will also have merchandise available so you can show your love and support for the shelter animals by making a donation or treating yourself to a hoodie or a tote bag.
Even if you can’t adopt a pet, or just don’t have room in your apartment that’s already filled with countless cute cats and kittens, you can still help the animals by making a donation or shopping on the Chewy wishlist. Go to smasf.org for more information. Some of the rescued animals at the Shelter need costly veterinary care, so until some super-wealthy philanthropist donates a million or two, they still desperately need the help of everyone in the community.
Clear the Shelters Day at the Santa Monica Animal Shelter is this Saturday, August 24, from 8am-5pm at the Santa Monica Animal Shelter located 1640 9th Street, Santa Monica. You can call the shelter to learn more about any of the available animals on (310) 458-8595 and you can view photos and a list of many of the available animals here.
scott.snowden@smdp.com
