Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) is celebrating a major milestone. 500 pets have been placed in new homes since the start of the ASPCA/Rachael Ray $100K Challenge on June 1. The numbers got a big boost this past weekend, thanks to the Adopt & Shop pet event at Kent Station on Saturday.
“We have 500 reasons to celebrate,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “I congratulate the staff at the Pet Adoption Center for their outstanding work toward this goal, and I especially thank the new adoptive families for their help in saving more animals’ lives.”
“Finding homes for 500 pets in less than two months is a remarkable achievement,” said Dr. Gene Mueller, manager of RASKC. “It gives us inspiration and motivation as we head into the final month of the ASPCA/Rachael Ray $100K Challenge.”
Rick Gilmore and his wife Connie took home a pair of cats today. The feline sisters are the 499th and 500th animals adopted from RASKC during the $100K Challenge. The Gilmores live in Federal Way, and they were excited to take their new furry friends home.
“We are long-time cat lovers who have now found two friends to share our lives,” said Gilmore.
RASKC is one of just 50 animal organizations nationwide taking part in the $100K Challenge. More than $600,000 in grants will be handed out to participating shelters after the Challenge ends on Aug. 31, including a $100,000 grand prize.
To help get more pets into new homes during the $100K Challenge, RASKC has waived the adoption fee on adult cats, and lowered the adoption fee for adult dogs to just $50. Photos and bios of adoptable pets are available online atwww.kingcounty.gov/pets. Potential adopters are also invited to visit the King County Pet Adoption Center at 21615 64th Ave. S. in Kent. Center hours are Monday 3 to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday noon to 6 p.m., and weekends noon to 5 p.m.
Another part of the competition is the $100K Challenge Photo Contest. Violet, a dog adopted from the King County Pet Adoption Center earlier this summer, is a finalist in the Photo Contest. Pinterest users can “like” and “repin” Violet’s photo atwww.pinterest.com/pin/91972017363447298 now through August 5. The pets with the most “likes” and “repins” can help their shelter win prizes ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.
For more information about the $100K Challenge, visit www.aspca.org/100KChallenge. Find RASKC online atwww.kingcounty.gov/pets, like RASKC on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KingCountyPets, and follow RASKC on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/KCPets.
