Tomorrow is December 1 and while parents around the world start tearing their hair out at the knowledge that Christmas is only a few weeks away, The Lost Dogs’ Home would like to give our cats and dogs a present too – a new family.
While we are strong advocates of the message that pets are for life, not just for Christmas, we believe that December is the perfect time to bring a new furry friend into your home. Time off from work, the gloriously warm weather and the family all being together is ideal for introducing a new cat or dog to new surroundings and getting them accustomed to the funny two-legged creatures that will take care of them from now on.
However with all of our shelters bursting at the seams with cats and dogs needing homes, as well as more coming in every single day, we urgently need to free up some space in our pens. It is for that reason The Lost Dogs’ Home has decided to offer 50 per cent off all adoptions for the month of December!
“We have an incredible number of absolutely beautiful cats and dogs available for adoption – but things have been very slow for us lately,” General Manager Sue Conroy said. “We know money can be tight this time of year so we want to give people the opportunity to make their Christmas extra special by adopting a new best friend.”
To protect our lovely creatures from people making impulse purchases and later returning or abandoning them, everyone who wishes to take advantage of the half-price adoptions must complete the Pet Licence test first.
With questions of everything a responsible pet owner should know – including your pet’s exercise, dietary and grooming needs, the importance of socialisation and training, and the costs of vet care – the aim of the Pet Licence is to prepare potential adopters for the commitment they are about to make.
“People can complete the test as many times as they need to pass,” Sue said. “Once they have, they simply need to show proof of completion to the shelter and they will receive 50 per cent off the cost of adopting a pet.”
Adoption costs differ from shelter to shelter; however as a guide, the discount will take the price of adopting a dog or puppy from the North Melbourne shelter down to $150, an adult cat to $47.50 and a kitten $85.
“When you take into consideration the cost of desexing, worming, microchipping and vaccinating – which all our dogs and cats receive prior to being adopted – it is a very good deal,” Sue said. “What is most important to us, however, is that our cats and dogs go into loving homes where they will be cherished as members of the family.”
To complete the Pet Licence test. Please note that computer stations will be set up on the shelter premises for people to complete the test; however we do encourage everyone to complete the test prior to coming in, to avoid queues and delays.
