Free adoption event can help you find ‘furever’ friend

Homeless pets in Phoenix could be home for the holidays, thanks to you.

Adoption fees will be waived for all pets at the Arizona Humane Society’s four Valley locations from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 20-21 as part of a “Furever Home for the Holidays” event. The free adoptions were made possible by a donation from Phoenix residents Stuart and Ted Tufty.

The Humane Society will host a winter wonderland event, complete with Santa and his helpers, family portraits, hot chocolate and apple cider, to get families in the holiday spirit as they look for their newest members. Organizers hope 300 pets will be adopted over the weekend.

Here’s where the adoptions will take place:

❚ Nina Mason Pulliam Campus for Compassion, 1521 W. Dobbins Road, Phoenix. 602-997-7585.

❚ Sunnyslope Campus, 9226 N. 13th Ave., Phoenix. 602-997-7585.

❚ PetSmart Mesa, 1733 S. Drive. 602-997-7585, ext. 5321.

❚ PetSmart Old Town Scottsdale, 4380 N. Miller Road. 602-997-7585, ext. 5322

To get a sneak peek of the pets that will be up for adoption, check out the

Stapley

Humane Society’s page at https:// www.azhumane.org/adopt/, which is updated every 15 minutes.

All pets will be spayed/neutered, microchipped and vaccinated. Adoption includes 30 days of free pet insurance, a free wellness exam at a VCA Animal Hospital and a pet ID tag, courtesy of the Arizona Animal Rescue Mission.

Do’s and don’ts of holiday pet adoptions

While it might be tempting to gift a puppy on Christmas Day, animal advocates caution against pets as presents.

“Our biggest tip for getting a furry friend as a gift, any time of the year, is to make sure you do your research and that the person who you are gifting the pet to has expressed an interest in getting a pet,” Kelsey Dickerson of the Arizona Humane Society said.

She recommends knowing “exactly what they’d like (cat vs. dog, specific breed, young vs. senior, etc.) and that you take all of the variables into account such as money, space, (and) time.”

An alternative to putting a pet under the Christmas tree is giving your loved one a gift card, which can pay for adoption fees.

Turtledove is a 4-year-old female dog available for adoption from the Campus for Compassion at 1521 West Dobbins Road, Phoenix.

Cai is a 7-month-old male cat available at the Campus for Compassion at 1521 West Dobbins Road, Phoenix.