Valerie Mizuhara pets a kitten at the Joplin Animal Adoption and Rescue Center on Friday, June 17. Mizuhara, shelter manager of the Berkley East-Bay Humane Society, felt compelled to volunteer in Joplin, Mo. "A lot of people helped us when we lost our cat adoption area to a fire last year," she said. "This is my way to give back." (Photo by Julie Denesha for Getty Images)
Good news from the ASPCA:The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Joplin Humane Society successfully found permanent homes for 745 pets during the weekend adoptathon Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26.
More than 5,700 people from 24 states rolled into Joplin, Mo., to adopt hundreds of animals in the aftermath of May?s devastating tornado.
?We?re completely floored by the amazing outpouring of support,? said Joplin native Tim Rickey, the ASPCA?s senior director of field investigations and response. ?Thanks to the generosity of these wonderful people, the animals left homeless by last month?s tornado are sleeping in new beds tonight.?
Adoption fees were waived for the event, and all cats and dogs were spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, and provided a free ID tag.
Since May 23, responders worked around the clock to track down the owners of lost pets through grass-roots outreach including flyers, public service announcements, social media outreach, paid advertising and stories in the media. The mandatory holding period for animals affected by the disaster was even doubled to try to reunite as many people and pets as possible.
The ASPCA provided emergency shelter for about 1,300 animals during the monthlong sheltering period. Nearly 500 animals were reunited with their owners, and several hundred were made available for adoption. Two hundred others, including newborns and injured animals not yet available for adoption, will be made available in the coming weeks.?
?The ASPCA is grateful for assistance from agencies across the country in helping us provide aid to rescued animals and making the adoption event a huge success,? Rickey said. Eighty-nine animal welfare agencies sent staff and volunteers to support the ASPCA?s disaster relief and emergency shelter efforts.
?There are many sweet and lovable animals waiting patiently for forever homes in a shelter near you,? added Karen Aquino, executive director of Joplin Humane Society. ?You can make just as meaningful an impact by adopting a pet from your local shelter.?
NBC News aired a touching report from Joplin on Saturday, June 26.
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