Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (Mar. 21, 2024) – Across the nation, spring has sprung yielding green shoots, new blooms, and baby animals galore – which is only ONE of the many reasons animal-lovers should be celebrating National Puppy Day this Saturday, March 23rd. The adorable holiday not only provides social media users an endless stream of puppy photos to peruse, the day is also an important one to raise awareness about the many pups who never find a forever home and encourage prospective pet owners to save a life. In an effort to increase puppy adoptions, Helen Woodward Animal Center is highlighting its half price adoptions and Blue Buffalo is providing a free bag of BLUE Basics Turkey and Potato puppy food to all adopters on this National Puppy Day.
Established in 2006, National Puppy Day was founded to remind the public of the large number of puppies entering the shelter system. Aware that the puppies’ fuzzy faces were their own best advertisements, the day puts some of the world’s cutest creatures in the forefront and asks the public to consider adding a furry family member to their household.
The holiday is incredibly important this year in particular. A record low in pet adoptions from coast-to-coast is causing a major crisis in the world of animal welfare and a startling jump in the number of pets euthanized in other parts of the country. According to studies by Bloomberg and NPR, the decline in adoption numbers is a result of return-to-office mandates, heightened pet costs, and landlord restrictions. The loss of shelter pets’ lives is the tragic result.
To help reinvigorate the flow of pets from rescue partners in through Helen Woodward Animal Center’s doors and then out into loving homes, this National Puppy Day, Helen Woodward Animal Center is highlighting its March Special of half-price adoption fees. Additionally, Blue Buffalo will provide a 4-pound bag of puppy food, Kahoots Pet and Feed Store will provide a $10 gift card.
“Puppies are just babies with fur,” said Helen Woodward Animal Care Supervisor Courtney Williams. “And rescue pups, in particular, are the very sweetest. They’ve experienced life without the warmth of a loving family and they are so grateful when they find one of their very own. The little work we put into them is such a small fraction of the love they’ll give us in return.”
Helen Woodward Animal Center encourages animal-lovers and anyone looking to bring a pet into their home to consider rescue first, and support local animal shelters this National Puppy Day, Saturday, March 23rd. For more information, please contact Helen Woodward Animal Center Adoptions Department at: 858-756-4117 ext. 313, visit https://animalcenter.org/or stop by at 6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe.
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About Helen Woodward Animal Center
Helen Woodward Animal Center is a private, non-profit organization where “people help animals and animals help people.” Founded in 1972 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., the Center provides services for more than 90,000 people and more than 10,000 animals annually through adoptions, educational and therapeutic programs both onsite and throughout the community. Helen Woodward Animal Center is also the creator of the International Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive, the International Remember Me Thursday® campaign and The Business of Saving Lives Workshops, teaching the business of saving lives to animal welfare leaders from around the world. For more information, go to: https://animalcenter.org/