The Friends of the Dearborn Animal Shelter gets proactive to help homeless pets.
Posted: October 11, 2008 3 a.m. EDT
The Friends of the Dearborn Animal Shelter, located in Dearborn, Mich., has teamed up with local businesses to help cats and kittens find a permanent home. Together, they are hosting a Kitty Klassic Kruise on Oct. 18 in which the shelter’s cats will be available for adoption at several locations in and around the city of Dearborn.
“Instead of waiting for people to come to us, we’re going out and finding them,” said Elaine Greene, executive director of the Friends.
The Dearborn Animal Shelter is currently overcrowded with about 180 cats living at the facility and about another 80 living in foster homes. And while the cats and kittens keep pouring in, adoptions are down. Greene points to the struggling economy.
“We think it’s due to the unrest in people’s minds and whether they’ll have a job tomorrow and whether they’ll have a home tomorrow,” Greene said.
During the Kitty Klassic Kruise, cats and kittens will be available for adoption from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the following locations:
- Dearborn Animal Shelter, 2661 Greenfield Rd., Dearborn
- The Friends Training Center, 2621 S. Telegraph Rd., Dearborn
- PetSmart, 5650 Mercury Dr., Dearborn
- Pet Needs Etc., 5664 N. Telegraph Rd., Dearborn Heights
- Petco, 23155 Outer Dr., Allen Park
Each of the participating pet stores is donating a Kitty Klassic Kruise basket filled with cat supplies. Those who fill out an adoption application will be entered to win a basket.
This is the third time this year Kitty Klassic Kruise is being held. Greene said the first event was held in August as a way to drum up publicity about the shelter and, hopefully, find homes for the shelter’s many cats and kittens. She said the shelter typically experiences a boost in the number of cats it receives during the spring and summer months.
The Friends plan to continue holding a Kitty Klassic Kruise the third Saturday of each month through December.
“They haven’t been as successful as we had hoped they would be,” Greene said of the first two Kitty Klassic events. “Part of it, I think, is that it’s new. I think as we do more of them and people hear about them, certainly the number of people that come out to see the animals is going to increase.”
As further incentive, the Friends are cutting the adoption fees by 50 percent to $45 for cats under 4 months and $40 for cats 4 months and older. The adoption package, valued at $250, includes health exam and testing, initial vaccines, spaying or neutering, microchip ID, a travel box with a kitty cushion and a cat care and training DVD.
For more information, visit the Friend’s website.