Nearly a quarter of a million pet adoptions in

2005 Iams Home 4 the Holidays campaign!  

Rancho Santa Fe, CA – More than 235,000 orphaned pets have been adopted worldwide during the first 6 weeks of the 2005, San Diego-based, “Iams Home 4 the Holidays” pet adoption drive. That includes the completion of the 1-millionth Home 4 the Holidays adoption since the program began in 1999.

“We completed the 1-millionth Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption two weeks ago,” says Helen Woodward Animal Center spokesman John Van Zante. “This holiday season San Diego is joined by shelters and pet rescue groups across the USA plus Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Guam, Iran, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, or Ukraine. We’re united in the goal of finding loving families for the orphaned pets in our care.”

Iams Home 4 the Holidays began in 1999 when Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, CA organized 14 San Diego area animal shelters to work together, finding homes for 2,563 pets during the 8-week program. This year Iams Home 4 the Holidays is expected to find homes for 350,000 orphaned animals.

While supplies last, families adopting a dog or cat from a participating animal shelter or rescue group will also receive a free Iams Starter Kit including the pet’s “holiday meal” as well as information on building a lifelong relationship with the new pet.

“Iams Home 4 the Holidays has become the most successful pet adoption drive in history,” says Van Zante. “More families bring new pets into their homes during the holidays than at any other time of year. Our media partners encourage the public to adopt orphaned pets rather than supporting puppy mills. Everybody wins!

Iams Home 4 the Holidays continues through January 2. To locate participating animal shelters worldwide log on to www.home4theholidays.com, visit Helen Woodward Animal Center at 6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe, or call 858-756-4117.

Adoptions during the first 4 weeks of IH4TH 2005: Dogs  103,270 44%

Cats   114,473 48.5%

Other  17,459 7.5%

 

2005 Worldwide Total:     235,202

Total since H4TH began: 1,112,719