National Pet Day

Note: National Pet Day was founded by animal welfare advocate Colleen Paige. The day is sponsored by the Animal Miracle Foundation to celebrate the joy animals bring to our lives and to create awareness about the pets awaiting forever homes in U.S. shelters.

Since April 11 is National Pet Day, according to Animal Miracle Foundation, I am promoting three animal shelters. If you decide to donate, these three organizations are worthy of your time and money. I chose a local shelter, a regional shelter and a national shelter. If you’re not sure where to donate your time or dollars, then choose a small shelter where you live. These groups are often in the most need.

Three of the shelters I support:

CATS Cradle Shelter, Fargo, N.D.

CATS Cradle helped my community save all but two adoptable cats from the pounds in 2012.

Prior to that year, our pounds were killing several hundred cats annually. What a difference this shelter has made for our homeless cats.

The shelter is a beautiful, cage-free building where the cats lounge around on bright blankets, chairs and benches. They sit and watch birds in the windows. They climb on cat towers.

They get to run and stretch and play. I love visiting CATS Cradle and floating from room to room to visit with various cats. They all seem so calm and happy at the shelter. If you are a homeless cat, CATS Cradle is definitely where you want to be!

Animal Allies, Duluth, Minn.

I interviewed a representative from Animal Allies last year, and the work the group does is inspiring.

Animal Allies has led Duluth, Minn., and Superior, Wis., to become a no-kill community. No adoptable, impounded dogs or cats are killed in this community.

Here’s an example: When the group heard of a potential hoarding situation last fall, it ended up taking in more than 60 extra cats in addition to its existing 71 cats and 69 kittens, according to the Duluth News Tribune.

Instead of saving some and killing the rest (and who would’ve blamed them?), Animal Allies offered free cat adoptions on all its existing cats. And people stepped up to adopt. What a great example of a community working together to save lives.

Nevada Humane Society, Reno

donate here

I got to attend a presentation on how to save more shelter cats by Bonney Brown, executive director of Nevada Humane Society. She has such a calm, quiet energy but is ruthless when it comes to saving animals.

NHS is a no-kill shelter, meaning it is open admission and it does not kill healthy, adoptable animals. It is leading Washoe County (Nevada) to becoming a no-kill community. It is doing so by increasing adoptions, offering “seniors for seniors” discounts, offering free adoptions when necessary and working with the media, volunteers and the public. It also offers free spay/neuter events.

If you need some animal shelter marketing ideas, NHS is a great role model.

“National Pet Day? I thought every day was pet day.” – Ace