December 2009

1.5 million orphaned dogs, cats, and other pets are expected to be adopted between October 1, 2009 and Jan. 4, 2010 during the 11th annual Iams Home 4 the Holidays (IH4TH) adoption event. More than 3,400 animal rescues and shelters worldwide are working together during this three-month adoption campaign, initially launched by Helen Woodward Animal Center in 1999.  The drive helps to increase the number of orphaned pets adopted during the time of year when families are most likely to bring new pets into their homes. In the process IH4TH also helps to take business away from puppy mills and backyard breeders.

HWAC President and IH4TH creator Mike Arms says he wasn’t thinking about the possibility of completing more than one million adoptions when he began to formulate the plan for the first Home 4 the Holidays drive 10 years ago.  “Our first drive in 1999 included 14 animal shelters here in San Diego County, CA. By working together we were able to place 2,563 orphaned dogs and cats, puppies and kittens with their new families. In 2000 the drive grew to include 130 shelters in five states, completing nearly 20,000 adoptions. And during the 2001 campaign the 450 participating shelters across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico found families for more than 100,000 animals, making Home 4 the Holidays the most successful pet adoption drive in history.”

Jumping ahead to 2008 more than 3,300 shelters and rescue groups worldwide worked together during the holiday season. The result was the adoption of 1,202,751 orphaned pets….bringing the ten year IH4TH total to 3,278,267.

Arms says that there are many reasons why IH4TH is so successful. “This adoption campaign is held during the holiday season when more families are likely to bring new pets into their homes than at any other time of year. With the shelters and rescue groups working together we can support each other and encourage families to save the lives of orphaned pets instead of buying pet store pets and supporting puppy mills. And participation is free to the participating shelters and rescue groups. They pay nothing and they benefit from the public relations and media exposure that is generated locally, nationally, and even internationally.”

A number of celebrities have stepped forward to, “lend a helping paw” to the campaign. Among them are Academy award winning actress Diane Keaton and television stars Kristen Bell and Felicity Huffman. Two-time Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank is serving as this year’s Iams Home 4 the Holidays Ambassador. Working with the Helen Woodward Animal Center, Swank is helping to educate others about how they can make a positive impact on the lives of homeless pets.

For more information about IH4TH or to locate participating animal shelters and pet rescue organizations log on to www.home4theholidays.com

© Photos credited to Helen Woodward Animal Center