Indy 500 cats

Exceptionally high number of cats and kittens prompts
INDY CAT 500 Adoption Event
The race is on to place 500 felines into loving homes by the end of the month

TOTAL FELINE ADOPTION COUNT: 335

Edmonton, July 15, 2010 – The Edmonton Humane Society (EHS) is revving up its engines with an innovative adoption event in tune with the upcoming Honda Indy Edmonton. The goal of the INDY CAT 500 event is to drive toward adopting out 500 cats into loving homes within just 16 days (from July 16 to the 31st).

Anyone adopting a cat or kitten during the event will be able to “spin to win” 20%, 40%, 60% or 100% off the adoption fee. The INDY CAT 500 also includes featured specials during the three remaining weekends of July, where adopters will be guaranteed 100% off selected cats every weekend. The final “INDY Special” involves female cats. Anyone adopts a female cat age one year and older on Saturday, July 31 will take her home at no cost. The public is advised to watch this web page for the last Indy featured specials for the last weekend remaining in July (July 30th weekend).

Thanks to Kelle Cloutier (who volunteered time to design the above poster) for her wonderful work with
our promotion materials for us

Special thanks to these supporters who are generously donating draw prizes during this event (tickets to see the Honda Indy Edmonton event and coupons for vehicle maintenance packages.)  Thank you!:

Check out how our shelter is decorated for the event (pics below), and thanks to "Royal Rubber Stamp" of Edmonton for designing the banners, stickers and artwork in the shelter!

The EHS has had an exceptionally high number of cats and kittens in its care.  Before the event, the Society was housing approximately 495 felines, about 200 more than usual, forcing staff to close its doors to pubilc cat admissions. Close to 200 cats and kittens were currently available for adoption with the rest soon to be, once space on the adoption floor opened up and medical staff completed spay or neuter surgeries.   There was such a limit on space for cats in the shelter that some felines were currently waiting for adoption in empty dog life rooms, since there was nowhere else to put them. (see picture below)

“We go to any lengths to continue to avoid ending the lives of healthy adoptable animals to make room for others. We are confident that people in our community will be champions in this race and step up to the starting line in this time of need,” said EHS spokesperson Shawna Randolph. “We are constantly coming up with innovative ways to encourage people to come to make the shelter their first choice for a wonderful pet instead of pet stores, on-line ads or people they know who are desperate to give away animals."

Those animals may be free, but don't come with crucial pet servicing.  All of our INDY 500 Race Cats make a "pit stop" through our medical department before they continue on the race track to find their forever homes.  In their "feline-spection", they receive:

• spay or neuter surgery
• microchipping
• vaccinations
• FIV and FeLV testing
• health exam
• new owners receive the first six weeks of pet insurance at no cost, and more .... (standard cat adoption packages)