May Your Holidays be FURRY & BRIGHT Adoption Promotion waived adoption fees for dogs 25 pounds and over throughout December 2022 in an effort to help larger dogs find homes for the holidays. Approximately 80% of dogs entering shelters are medium to extra-large, which includes those 25 pounds and over, underscoring the importance of initiatives like this one.

The county-run shelter, described as the largest municipal animal shelter in Orange County, launched the promotion to encourage adoptions during the holiday season. The move coincided with a series of on-site events and a shorter, targeted sponsorship window for other animals during the middle of the month. common challenges faced by animal shelters in the adoption process, as they typically stay significantly longer in shelters compared to smaller breeds, straining capacity and resources.

The promotion ran throughout the month of December 2022 and specifically covered dogs 25 pounds and over, according to the shelter’s announcement on its website, which described the campaign as a holiday adoption push. Beginning December 10 through December 24, OC Animal Care also sponsored adoption fees for other animals as part of the seasonal activity, further expanding the reach of their efforts to find homes for all types of pets.

OC Animal Care hosted regular Saturday adoption hours under a program called “Pooches on the Patio,” holding the event every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., giving prospective adopters an opportunity to meet dogs in a relaxed outdoor setting. Volunteers and shelter staff actively engaged at these events, facilitating placements and helping community members build connections with the pets. Community members can further support local shelters by volunteering for tasks such as dog walking, kennel cleaning, or assisting at fundraising events, which enhances the shelter’s overall effectiveness in promoting adoptions.

The community response was immediate: community members opened their hearts and homes to 117 dogs that were 25 pounds and over, the outreach noted. Shelter organizers counted those adoptions as a direct outcome of the monthlong campaign and related events, emphasizing the community’s crucial role in reducing the number of larger dogs that remain in the shelter.

OC Animal Care is identified in county materials as the largest municipal animal shelter in Orange County, and the December promotion was part of the agency’s seasonal adoption push. Fifth District Supervisor Lisa Bartlett is listed among public officials associated with county activity; her title appears in connection with the county’s animal care efforts.

The shelter’s online announcement framed the waiver as a holiday effort to move larger dogs into homes before the end of the year. Local reporting on the initiative summarized the promotion and pointed readers to the agency for full details; OC Animal Care’s own event page provides the schedule and eligibility information for the December program. This campaign is particularly significant as it addresses the ongoing challenge of finding suitable homes for larger dogs, who are often overlooked by potential adopters.

Organizers emphasized in their materials that the December calendar included both the monthlong fee waiver for larger dogs and the December 10–24 sponsorship window, allowing a concentrated push in the middle of the month alongside weekly Saturday events. Applicable metrics like the successful adoption of 117 medium-and-larger dogs played a crucial role in highlighting the effectiveness of this effort.

The shelter’s December campaign was one among several seasonal efforts to increase adoptions and reduce shelter stays for dogs in need of homes. The promotion’s measurable result—117 medium-and-larger dogs finding homes—served as the central metric reported by county materials summarizing the holiday push.

Officials and shelter staff directed people interested in adoption or event schedules to the agency’s official announcement of the promotion on its website.

Source

Original reporting: view the original article.