The Hall County Animal Shelter is proud to bring a new tradition to the holiday season by introducing its “Santa Paws” promotion. From Dec. 12 through Dec. 31, all adoption fees will be waived for anyone choosing to add a furry member to their family.
“Our goal is to remove barriers to adoption and get as many pets home for Christmas as possible,” said Hall County Animal Shelter program manager, Stephanie Maloch. “We still want people to be thoughtful about their decision to adopt, however, as adopting a pet is a long-term commitment.”
Interested families should consider several factors when looking into adoption:
- Gifts are great, surprises are not: Make sure the intended recipient is serious about wanting a pet and is prepared to care for them. If a person is caught off guard with a new pet, they may not be ready for the commitment. Even better than gifting them a pet you chose, give them a card inviting them to go to the shelter to meet or pick their new family member. This ensures a good match of energy, temperament, and personality for the pet and new owner.
- Ensure the whole family is ready for the responsibility: Children won’t always keep up with the responsibility of pet ownership. Although they may be the most excited to have a new furry family member, everyone in the family should be prepared to provide care for the new pet.
- Verify holiday plans: Are there plans to travel? Will there be lots of company coming and going? Transitioning to a new home can be stressful, ensure there is time during the holidays to make your new pet feel welcome and comfortable.
- Consider life after the holidays: Everyone in the house may be on break from school and work for the holidays, but it’s important to keep in mind what the family routine is once everyone returns to school and to work.
“We don’t want these considerations to discourage potential adopters,” said Maloch, “but we do want adopters to be prepared and committed when they choose to adopt. Dogs and cats live an average of 15 years, so even when we remove cost barriers by removing adoption fees and providing low-cost services, people should still consider all of the factors of providing care so when an animal is adopted, it’s ‘fur’-ever.”
You can find Hall County Animal Shelter’s adoptable animals on the Animal Services page.
Adoption appointments are available Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 678-450-1587 to schedule a time to meet your new best friend.