—Guest Blogger: Tabitha Hanes, Richmond SPCA Director of Communications
Homeless dogs and cats awaiting adoption at the Richmond SPCA have a new best friend in Priority Automotive. To encourage adoption during December, the car dealership group is sponsoring the adoption fee for any pet adopted from the Robins-Starr Humane Center between Dec. 13 and Dec. 31.
“There are literally hundreds of dogs and cats in the care of the Richmond SPCA that will make wonderful pets and need a nice warm home for Christmas,” said Dennis Ellmer. “I don’t want the cost of adoption to stop anyone from taking one of these great dogs and cats home and making them a permanent part of their family. We’ve made pets a part of our family for years and want to share that wonderful experience with others,” he added.
Adoption fees at the Richmond SPCA are normally $95, and every pet available for adoption has been spayed or neutered, is up to date on age-appropriate vaccinations and is microchipped for permanent identification. During the same 16-day period of 2010, the local nonprofit found homes for 182 dogs and cats. With the sponsorship from Priority, the Richmond SPCA is setting its goals even higher, aiming for record-breaking adoptions and additional lifesaving throughout the community.
“We are so grateful to Priority Automotive because their generosity will mean that many more wonderful pets will be adopted by loving families this season than ever before,” said Robin Robertson Starr, the organization’s chief executive officer. “That will give them a wonderful holiday and will allow us to immediately save the life of another homeless dog or cat out of a government shelter, giving another pet the gift of life as well.”
As reflected in the Richmond SPCA’s no-kill model, each kennel or cage space made available through adoption will be quickly filled with a pet who otherwise would be at risk of losing his life at a local government shelter.
The Richmond SPCA has used the color-coded Meet Your Match adoption program since 2008, and visitors are encouraged to begin their pet search by completing a quick survey to assess the type of pet that will best fit their home and lifestyle. The knowledgeable adoption staff provides insight into each pet’s personality traits to counsel adopters on providing for that pet’s needs with the goal of making a match that lasts a lifetime.
The holiday adoption schedule includes extended hours during the Holiday Open House from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The organization is closed Christmas day. For more information, visit www.richmondspca.org or call 804-521-1307.
The Richmond SPCA, founded in 1891, is a no-kill humane organization dedicated to the guiding principle that every life is precious. As a national leader in humane care and education, the Richmond SPCA is building a more compassionate community through programs of adoption, rehabilitation, spay/neuter, pet-retention, trap-neuter-return and humane education. For more information, visit www.richmondspca.org.
ABOUT PRIORITY AUTOMOTIVE
Priority Automotive was founded in 1999 by Dennis Ellmer with the acquisition of Chevrolet and Toyota dealerships in Chesapeake, Virginia. Today Priority owns and operates Priority Toyota, Priority Scion, Priority Nissan, Priority Kia, Priority Volkswagen and Priority Collision Center in Richmond; Priority also owns Priority Toyota, Priority Scion, Priority Honda, Priority Chevrolet, Priority Acura, Priority Hyundai, and Priority Collision Center in Chesapeake, VA, Priority Indoor Superstore in Virginia Beach, VA and Priority Honda in Charlotte, NC. Priority has more than 100,000 Priorities For Life customers throughout Virginia and North Carolina. For more information visit priorityauto.com.
