October marks Adopt-A-Dog Month, an awareness month started by the American Humane Society in 1981.1 Since then, this month’s goal has been to help the 3 to 4 million animals waiting in shelters each year find loving homes. About 1.5 million animals in shelters are euthanized because they have no one to take them in and shelters become extremely overcrowded.2 Raising awareness about adoption can help alleviate overpopulation and reduce the number of animals stuck in shelters.
To celebrate this effort, 143 Veterinary Services in Cohasset, Massachusetts, and the nonprofit animal shelter and adoption, Furget Me Not, Inc, teamed up for a local adoption event. Several breeds and sizes of dogs were available for adoption, and the event also served as a venue to raise awareness of the shelter’s needs and promote opportunities in which the local community could participate.3
“It was a great opportunity to talk about breeds that are good for people’s lifestyles, the commitment that comes with owning a pet, and also to let people know about all the great work that our local shelters accomplish every day,” said 143 Veterinary Services. owner, Diana Watkins, DVM in a statement.3
143 Veterinary services opened earlier this year in March and has since committed to supporting several local shelters in the area. According to the release, the very first patients at the state-of-the-art practice were rescued dogs and cats who were looking to be adopted and needed veterinary care.3
“We’ve built some really good relationships and met a few potential adopters,” said Ashley Davis, executive director of Furget Me Not, Inc. “Every week we welcome new animals who need homes, and it’s always fun when we can do something like this in the community to help tell the story of pets.3
The references
- Dog Adoption Month. American Society for the Protection of Animals. Accessed October 3, 2023. https://www.americanhumane.org/initiative/adopt-a-dog-month/
- Young S. This October, be a hero to dogs big and small. American Society for the Protection of Animals. October 5, 2021. Accessed October 3, 2023. https://www.americanhumane.org/blog/this-october-be-a-hero-to-dogs-young-and-old/
- Small town, big hearts. Press release. 143 Veterinary services. October 1, 2023. Accessed October 3, 2023.