Next week is the right time to adopt a pet.
With the theme “Save a Life – Adopt a Pet”, the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association has named May 1-7 as 2011 National Pet Week, a time “to foster responsible pet ownership, to recognize the human-animal bond, and to increase public awareness of veterinary medicine,” according to Claire Holley, executive director of the NCVMA.
“During this year’s National Pet Week, we are encouraging people to consider adopting a pet from an animal shelter,” said Holley.
“Many animal rescue centers are overcrowded and in need of families for each pet. We want to educate everyone that they would be saving a life if they chose to adopt a pet.”
In Laurinburg, J.D. and Fran Asher Animal Shelter Director Karla Milholland said anytime is a good time to adopt a sheltered animal.
“Before you purchase a pet, consider adoption from a shelter,” Milholland said. “There are a lot of really nice animals in rescue centers, and all deserve a second chance. As the Association representative said, by adopting that special cat or dog you are saving a life.”
The Laurinburg center is involved in several ongoing activities that coincide with National Pet Week, according to Milholland.
“In addition to visiting the shelter here in Laurinburg, we will hold adoption clinics on April 30 at the PetSmart stores in Aberdeen and Fayetteville, where we will be showing them from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. We will also be at the Aberdeen PetSmart May 7-8, and all of the cats available at the PetSmart for the month of May will be from our shelter.”
The center currently houses some 55 dogs and 15 cats.
“We have more coming through the doors every day,” Milholland said.
Owned and run by the Humane Society of Scotland County, the shelter is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
“Everyone is welcome to visit the facility, look over the animals available to be adopted, and fill out an application to adopt,” Milholland said in an earlier interview.
“We ask that everyone complete an application since some of these animals come from a bad situation; we want to be sure they are not going to another one.”
Donations of dog and cat food, cleaning supplies and cleaning tools to the J.D. and Fran Asher Animal Shelter are welcomed. Monetary donations are accepted as well.
The shelter is located at 1401 West Boulevard in Laurinburg. Call 276-9271 for more information.
More information about the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association may be found at www.ncvma.org.
National Pet Week was founded in 1981 by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Auxiliary to the AVMA. For more information about the AVMA, visit www.avma.org.
Read more: The Laurinburg Exchange – Pet adoptions encouraged
Pet adoptions encouraged
