ON National Pet Adoption Day (NPAD), people will be matched to an animal that suits them without breed interfering in a decision.
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PETstock stores will have a range of cats, kittens, dogs and puppies available for adoption on February 9, but in an Australian first, all breed labels will be removed from pets listed on petrescue.com.au in the week leading up to NPAD.
PETstock Assist charity and events co-ordinator, Jess Guilfoyle, hoped that the move would help people forget any preconceptions they may have about rescue pets or characteristics associated with particular breeds.
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“Every pet is unique and individual, and I encourage people considering a new pet to keep an open mind – you may just be surprised by who you fall for,” she said.
“Love really does know no breed.”
The day is also about finding quality homes for animals down on their luck, given that every year around 200,000 pets remain unclaimed in Australian pounds,
Bathurst PETstock manager Lauren Brooker said the pound system in NSW was very underfunded and struggled to cater to all the pets without a home.
For that reason, adoption is important.
Ms Brooker said PETstock’s NPAD process is simple as people just need to visit the store and fill out an application, which will help match them to the ideal animal on the day or within a couple of days.
“We put a lot of effort into matching animals based on their personalities,” she said.
“It's important to be honest on your application. It’s not going to affect your application in a bad way, it’s just to make the most appropriate match.”
A range of factors will be considered, such as the type of residence, whether or not there are children in the home, work hours and how active people are.
Ms Brooker encouraged entire households to come along and be involved in the process of adopting a new pet.
“We want people to bring the children in to meet them,” she said.
The Bathurst store, located at 3 Pat O’Leary Drive, will be participating in NPAD from 10am to 2pm on the day.
For more information about NPAD, visit petstock.com.au or petrescue.com.au.
