BURLINGTON ON, September 13, 2021 – Today marks the start of PetSmart Charities® of Canada’s first seven-day National Adoption Week and the first national adoption event of 2021. From September 13 – 19, PetSmart Charities® of Canada hopes to find loving homes for an estimated 1,800 pets across the country.
The special focus on adoptable cats and kittens caps the tail end of kitten season, a time when animal shelters are flooded with young and vulnerable felines.
While Canadians adjusted to a new way of life at the onset of the pandemic, adoptable animals had to do the same. In 2020, PetSmart Charities® of Canada pivoted to fully virtual adoption events to ensure deserving pets continued to find their forever homes. PetSmart Charities® of Canada held virtual events in September and November, with 1,350 and 1,540 pets, respectively, finding new homes across Canada.
In addition to in-person adoptions, a virtual component is available to help prospective pet parents jumpstart their adoption journey from the comfort of their homes. On the PetSmart Canada website, users can search by postal code and view thousands of adoptable animals from local animal welfare organizations near them. For potential adopters who wish to meet adoptable pets in person, safety measures such as social distancing and capacity limits will be in place to comply with government regulations and local provincial restrictions.
“Our organization is thrilled to help connect people with homeless pets during our first National Adoption Week of 2021,” said Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities® of Canada. “We work with more than 200 local rescues, shelters and SPCAs to bring adoptable pets into PetSmart adoption centres for National Adoption Week. That said, the virtual events held over the past year made a meaningful impact on the lives of both pets and people, especially during the pandemic. With that in mind, we’ve decided to continue a virtual component for our September event to allow for potential pet owners to connect with pets in a safe, comfortable environment.”
PetSmart ensures pets who find their forever homes during National Adoption Week are ready for life with their new pet parents by providing complimentary adoption kits for cats (with coupon savings at $300) and dogs (with coupon savings at $450) for the supplies they may need, including a coupon for a free bag of pet food.
Can’t make it in? Here are other ways to participate:
- Donations: Those who aren't ready to adopt can still help pets in need. By donating online to PetSmart Charities® of Canada, 90 cents of every dollar supports pets and the people who love them in communities across the country.
- Virtual Adoption: Although the event will include adoptable pets in stores, potential adopters can still visit PetSmartCharities.ca/adopt-a-pet, where users can customize searches to include cats or dogs and their desired ages, breeds, colours, sizes, and more. Once online visitors find a pet they are interested in, they can learn more about them and schedule meet-and-greets with adoption partners – before visiting their local PetSmart to finalize the adoption process.
About PetSmart Charities® of Canada
PetSmart Charities of Canada is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the country, PetSmart Charities of Canada helps thousands of pets connect with loving families each year. PetSmart Charities of Canada also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter and emergency relief. Each year, thousands of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada directly at PetSmartCharities.ca, while shopping at PetSmart.ca, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities of Canada efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, granting more than $24 million since its inception in 1999. Independent from PetSmart Inc., PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.ca.
Find PetSmart Canada & PetSmart Charities of Canada on:
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/PetSmartCanada
Follow PetSmart Canada & PetSmart Charities of Canada on Instagram: www.instagram.com/PetSmartCanada
Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharities
About PetSmart®
In Canada, PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart's passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. PetSmart employs approximately 4,800 associates and operates more than 140 pet stores in Canada, as well as eight in-store PetSmart PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. The retailer provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding at PetSmart Doggie Day Camp™ and pet adoption.
For further information: Media Contact: Golin Canada, Carly Newton, 647-618-8070, cnewton@golin.com; 24-Hour PetSmart Charities Media Line: 623-587-2177
