2008 Home 4 The Holidays Results

San Diego-based Pet Adoption Drive Reaches Goal 1-million plus in Thirteen Weeks

Rancho Santa Fe, CA - A pet adoption drive that began in San Diego in 1999 is reporting more than 1-million pets have been adopted so far this holiday season. The 10th annual Iams Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption campaign has achieved it's goal in 13 weeks of 1,088,506 finding families for orphaned pets worldwide. More pets are expected to be adopted before the adoption campaign ends January 05, 2009.

Estimated adoptions as of 12/28/08:

Dogs and puppies: 543,822

Cats and kittens: 476,409

Other pets: 68,275

Total adoptions: 1,088,506

"More lives have been saved this holiday season than ever before!" says Trisha St. George, spokesperson for Helen Woodward Animal Center and Iams Home 4 the Holidays. "More families bring pets into their homes during the holidays than any other time of the year. It's exciting to see families adopting their new best friend from their local shelters, saving one life at a time!"

This 10th annual IH4TH campaign began one month earlier than previous drives. "The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies asked us to begin IH4TH in October instead of November so it would include Thanksgiving Day in Canada. The result was more participating groups and more adoptions than ever before."

This year there are nearly 30 participating IH4TH animal shelters and rescue groups in San Diego County, 263 in California, and 3563 worldwide.

Iams Home 4 the Holidays began in 1999 when Helen Woodward Animal Center organized 14 shelters in San Diego County to work together. The goal was to increase pet adoptions, lower the rate of euthanasia, and take business away from puppy mills and backyard breeders during their most lucrative time of year. Today Iams Home 4 the Holidays is the largest and most successful pet adoption drive in history.

For more information or to locate a participating animal shelter or pet rescue group call 858-756-4117.

What greater gift can there be during the holidays than to save the life of an orphaned pet?