Last year, for the first time ever, I went shopping on Black Friday. I must admit, I did not get up early to get the best deals, but I did do my homework and researched what I wanted and where I could get it. I even called ahead to be sure it would be there. Unlike most shoppers though, my purchase did not come home in a bag, it came home in a pet carrier.
Yes, last year my Black Friday shopping trip involved a trip to the Chemung Valley SPCA and bringing home a new member of the family. After browsing the 15,000 options avaliable within a 100-mile radius of my zip code on petfinder.com, I settled on a cat I thought might be a good fit for my family. Luckily, the cat we went to meet was already applied for and we ended up bringing home his cagemate, Percy. Percy has been a perfect match for our family – funny how that works out, isn’t it?
One reason to consider adopting a pet on Black Friday is that some shelters offer reduced adoption fees for take-homes on that day, though if this is your intention, call ahead to investigate how lengthy the adoption process is. I would also encourage a call before you go to find out which animals are available at the reduced fee because last year adult cats were 50% off at the Chemung Valley SPCA while kittens were full-fee.
Another reason to give shelter pets a consideration is that they come fixed, dewormed, treated for fleas, and up-to-date on shots. Not all shelter pets come with emotional baggage from surviving abusive homes either, our kitty was surrendered due to his previous owners allergies. He is a healthy, friendly cat who always meets us at the door and follows me from room to room when I am at home. I had been originally looking for a cat who didn’t mind having his tail touched by my three-year old son, and I found him.
This year, if you are going shopping on Black Friday or thinking of getting a pet as a holiday present, consider taking a trip to the humane society to give a shelter pet a loving home. I’ll admit, I’ve recently had petfinder open again, and have been perusing the cat profiles for a possible buddy for Percy.
Story and photo by Gabrielle L. Wheeler
