‘Home 4 the Holidays’ is an annual, international, three‐month long pet adoption campaign dedicated to finding loving, forever homes for homeless pets.

This annual campaign began 16 years ago when Helen Woodward Animal Center President and CEO Mike Arms noticed that a majority of pet rescue facilities were closing their doors during the holiday season – a primary time of year for family pet additions.

With shelter doors closed, would-be adopters were resorting to shopping at pet stores and puppy mills for holiday pet purchases. Not only did this increase the business of backyard breeders and horrendous puppy mills, Arms was aware that the staff at these pet breeding businesses were rarely trained to assay the likelihood of a successful animal/family match, which increased the number of pets being sent to animal shelters once the holiday season was over.

“Millions of families add a furry family member to their homes each holiday season,” stated Arms, “yet, over 3 million homeless dogs and cats are put to death each year in animal shelters in the U.S. alone. It doesn’t make sense.”

The Home 4 the Holidays Pet Adoption Campaign now asks animal shelters and pet rescue groups to keep their doors open throughout the holiday months, and also provides marketing tools to get the word out.

Through a collective group of approximately 4,000 pet adoption agencies, facilities, and pet rescue organizations located in all 50 states and 23 countries, this annual campaign has become the largest pet adoption campaign on record, helping to save the lives of over 9 million homeless pets since 1999.

This year, this annual pet adoption drive officially began October 1, 2014 and will run through January 2, 2015. And for the second year in a row, the Home 4 the Holidays Pet Adoption Campaign is partnering with Blue Buffalo for this much needed program.

This pet food company has not only dedicated impressive national marketing to spreading the word about adopting a pet this holiday season, but it is also providing all participating rescue facilities with ‘Adoption Kits’ to gift to each new pet parent who adopts a homeless pet throughout this three-month long pet adoption campaign.

“We are so blessed to have friends like Blue Buffalo,” said Arms. “They are incredibly dedicated to the cause of homeless pets, and they are going above and beyond to make Home 4 the Holidays more successful than ever. With their help, and with the partnerships of these wonderful rescue facilities located all across America, I’m certain that we will reach our 10 millionth pet adoption this year.”

To find a list of participating animal shelters and rescue groups in your area, go to the link below.

Please Help Save A Life, This Holiday Season.