Iams Home for the Holidays

Most of us are planning a wonderful day with family this week…or like me, you’ve celebrated for 8 nights of family and fun. We even gave Clem our miniature bull-terrier his Hanukkah gift (he loves squeaky toys).  He’s  a lucky one. He’s got a family who loves and cherishes him. But, there are so many dogs and cats living in shelters that need adoptive homes.

Before moving to Florida, I was an active member and foster home for the New England Old English Sheepdog Rescue (we always had a housefull of OES’ including our own). Breed rescues like this do a good job of being able to match the dog to a loving family. It’s not always so easy with those pets who are homeless and living in shelpters.

Iams Home 4 the Holidays (IH4TH) needs your help to place 1.5 million pets into loving homes by January 4, 2010! Last year, the program’s goal of helping 1 million pets get adopted within three months was outdone when 1,202,701 pets were placed in homes — including Rumi, adopted by two-time Academy Award® winner and 2009 IH4TH ambassador Hilary Swank.

ADOPTION FACTS

• As many as 8 million animals are homeless in the U.S.
• Nearly 4 million orphaned dogs and cats will be euthanized this year due to shelter over-crowding and lack of awareness about the importance of pet adoption.
• More than 25 percent of all dogs in shelters are purebreds.
• IH4TH helped 1,202,751 pets find homes last year alone.
• In Oct. 2008 Hilary Swank adopted Rumi through IH4TH at a Los Angeles shelter.
• Over the past decade more than 3 million pets –1,638,515 dogs, 1,505,690 cats and 134,062 “other” animals – have been adopted through IH4T

Hilary Swank is this year’s spokesperson for the IH4TH program. Ms. Swank has adopted MANY dogs out of shelters including her two dogs Karoo and Rumi. She rescued Karoo from the side of a road while filming in South Africa a few years ago and adopted Rumi last fall from a participating IH4TH shelter in Los Angeles and feels that this cause is “close to her heart.”

• You can help by adopting a pet this holiday season at IH4TH.com and receive a complimentary adoption kit to help with your new family member.
• Can’t adopt? Join the “Feed Pets in Need” program and help bring much needed food to your favorite IH4TH shelter by simply casting a vote at IH4TH.com.
• Stay updated & be a part of the journey! Every week Iams will be sharing updated adoption numbers on Facebook and Twitter.