Help clear the shelter: Thanksgiving Break’s ‘Home for the Holidays’
Gateway Pets (GPG) is preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday with the goal to clear their shelter the entire week. By helping clear the shelter, foster families support adoptable shelter dogs and partner with staff at GPG so everyone can enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday surrounded by friends and family.
The Home for the Holidays Clear the Shelter foster event encourages families to foster over the holidays, which provides a much-needed break from the stress of the shelter by bringing dogs home as a temporary foster.
“A week stay in a home gives the staff at GPG a lot of understanding of how a dog will do in a home,” says Amanda Loellke, GPG Adoption and Foster manager. “Potential adopters are always wanting to know as much as possible about an adoptable pet, so placing animals in both temporary and long-term foster homes is one of the best ways to learn about a shelter pet’s personality and if they are a good fit for the family.”
As temperatures outdoors begin to drop, GPG is also focused on making space in the shelter to help other community dogs and cats in need. In the last few weeks, their outreach team has already started distributing supplies like straw and dog houses for pet owners in the community.
“So far it hasn’t been that bad but we always want to get ahead of a cold snap. This year, we have outdoor cat housing, straw, and dog housing we are distributing. We are encouraging our donors to shop Black Friday deals to secure dog and cat houses, pet food, and wire crates if and when the shelter fills up.” Jill Henke, GPG operations director said. “As always, winter means that even community owned pets might need emergency temporary boarding in our facility.”
The foster team is requesting that all dogs are picked up between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 21 or Wednesday, Nov. 22.
Participants must be able to host a dog until Monday, Nov. 27 or longer.
To sweeten the deal, thanks to a generous donation by the Schneider family in memory of Zach Schneider, all adult dogs and adult cats have zero dollar adoptions. GPG is grateful to the Schneider family for this extraordinary gift. To commemorate this generous donation and the waived adoption fees, GPG staff created this commercial.
Want to participate but don’t know if the dog or cat will work? No worries. “We have many dogs that do well with other dogs, children, and cats!” Loellke said. “Whatever your specific needs, we can help find the perfect match for a short or long term foster stay.”
Help GPG ensure no pet has to spend Thanksgiving alone: Click here if you are ready to sign-up today.
About Gateway Pet Guardians:
Gateway Pet Guardians (GPG) is a 501(c)3 animal welfare organization focused on creating a community of healthy pets and empowered pet owners in East Side Pet District – East St. Louis, Cahokia Heights, Washington Park and Fairmont City. Founded in 2004, GPG works to provide judgment-free and equitable access to pet resources, as well as remove barriers to pet ownership through progressive programming and collaborative partnerships. GPG relies on the generosity of contributors, funders and volunteers to help further the mission of keeping pets and people together in the East Side Pet District. For more information or to make a donation, visit gatewaypets.org.
