Adopt Today Campaign
Why you should Adopt Today!
At the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter, there's a doggy with a tail wagging wildly, a kitty purring or a bunny hopping, just waiting for you to give him or her a permanent home. There are many reasons to adopt your pet from the Shelter, and among the most important is that you will save a life of a wonderful, deserving companion animal.
Adoption is a lifelong commitment to providing responsible, loving care and a safe home for an animal. By adopting a pet from the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter, you're reducing the need for euthanasia and supporting the Shelter's quest to reduce pet overpopulation in our community. If you're ready to make the commitment to adopt, then visit the How To Adopt page. Perhaps, you can't adopt right now, but want to help the Shelter in its efforts, then click here to discover the many ways you can help!
Adopt Today! is an educational, awareness-building campaign focused on:
1. increasing adoptions and reducing euthanasia of healthy, adoptable pets at the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter; and
2. enhancing awareness of the multiple benefits associated with making pets part of an active, healthy lifestyle.
3. increasing awareness of the importance of spaying and neutering to help our community curb the pet overpopulation crisis we face.
Did you know that a staggering 4,594 animals were brought into our shelter in 2009? Of those animals only 41 percent were adopted into a loving homes and 35 percent were euthanized. Through Adopt Today! our goal is to change these numbers dramatically.
Many individuals have come out to show support for this meaningful cause, and to help us raise awareness about the Shelter and how important pets are in our lives.
We hope you enjoy the people, places and faces of Adopt Today! Remember to show your support in any way you can: volunteer, attend an event, visit the animals at the Shelter, tell your friends, but most importantly, Adopt!
Mission Statement:
Adopt Today! is a campaign dedicated to promoting the adoption of healthy but homeless animals in the Bloomington-Monroe County area to individuals seeking a loving, lifelong pet.
Adopt Today! Spokespeople and Testimonials
Adam Herbert
Adam Herbert became the 17th president of Indiana University on August 1, 2003, and served as president until June 30, 2007. He previously served as president of the University of North Florida from 1989-1998. From 1998 to 2001, Herbert was the sixth chancellor of the State University System of Florida, the second-largest university system in America. 
Dr. Herbert's career illustrates his strong commitment to public service. In 1974, he became one of 15 White House Fellows in the Ford Administration serving as special assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. Following the fellowship year, he served as special assistant to the U.S. Undersecretary of Housing and Urban Development and subsequently as director of research for the Joint Center for Political Studies in Washington, D.C.
Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Herbert earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1966 and a Master of Public Administration degree in 1968 from the University of Southern California. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in urban affairs and public administration from the University of Pittsburgh in 1971.
Dusty (pictured in this ad here with Adam) was Dr. Herbert's precious dog for many years. Dusty sadly passed away earlier this year, but had a long and happy life with the Herberts. Adam and his terrific wife Karen are the proud parents of Bentley the schnauzer, the Herberts' other wonderful dog. He loves to play on IU's campus and snack on dog treats.
Malcom Abrams
Malcolm Abrams, Editor and Publisher of Bloom Magazine, fell in love with Bloomington after a four-day visit. Originally from Toronto, Abrams lived in three different countries and six cities before moving to Bloomington in 2005.
Abrams' career consists of a position as Editor in Chief of Spa Finder, interim Editor in Chief of Architectural Record and contributions to successful magazines such as Ladies' Home Journal, Longevity and Parents. His work has been syndicated by both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, and Architectural Record went on to win a National Magazine Award for editorial excellence. For nine years, he worked for Rupert Murdoch, first as Managing Editor of the Star and then as Vice President/Editorial Director of Murdoch Business Magazines.
Abrams received a B.A. in journalism from Wayne State University in Detroit, and has worked in publishing in Canada and New York City for 40 years. His career shows excellence in writing and editing, and Bloom Magazine shows his commitment to Bloomington and a desire to make a positive impact on the community.
One of the community members who has felt his positive impact is Sophie, his wonderful dog whom he and wife Jenny rescued from the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter. Abrams knew Sophie was the dog for him when she paid almost no attention to him at their first meeting. Sophie enjoys napping and gazing out the window with her two cat roommates. She aspires to one day become a leading contributor to Bloom Magazine.
Bob and Vicki Wheeler, owners of Meadowood Retirement Community
As we raised a family we felt that having a dog would help to instill the merits of responsible behavior toward living things in our children, in return for the love and joy they give in return. We only adopt pets from shelters as we know that "mutts" as well as purebreds are there, and we recognize that "saving" a dog would bond us deeper, than buying a dog that was bred for sale. We never had regrets at our decision to adopt from a shelter. Pets who are there are "waiting" for a home situation again, or perhaps for the first time. They seem to understand the connection between "shoppers" and their destiny. They give all they have to give as a result.
We have been impressed with the quality of care the animals receive at the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter. Our daughter Jennifer was the first to adopt a dog at the City's Animal Shelter. Her choice was a nearly grown dog called "Buddy" and he became her constant companion after she graduated from college. Buddy lived with her until his death at 13 years of age. 
Then our daughter Jill found a dog for us after the death of our family dog. It was Suzie (renamed "Sadie" by us) and she was a hound/setter mix. She reminded us of an Oreo cookie and joined our family around 1995. Sadie knew dog obedience well, to the point that I had to sign up for classes so she could train me! We enjoyed working together so much that I continued in several more classes. Sadie was naturally in obedient and was a wonderful house pet, even though when we adopted her she had never been in the cab of a car, nor allowed in the house, nor gone up stairways, or so many things we took for granted. Eventually she would lay beside the crib of our grandchildren as they napped, and was a constant companion to us all, even traveling with us on trips. I had her tested to become a Therapy Dog with Therapy Dogs International, and she passed with shining colors, so that by 1998 we were visiting nursing homes and a county children's shelter, once a week. Sadie was so well loved and received that it would be hard to imagine what would have become of her, or Buddy, if they hadn't been adopted by us.
The experience we have had with shelter dogs, and right now we have two who came to us in 1997, is that orphaned dogs make the best pets, as they assign to their new owners an almost angelic love, one that is never forgotten by the dog, as they recognize you as the rescuer of their fate. And indeed you become that and more to them. Once you save a pet by bringing it in to your home, training it in dog obedience, feeding it conscientiously, and treating it as a member of the family, there is no other greater satisfaction. The love and companionship the dog offers in return become an element of your life that you can't imagine living without. They live only to serve the family, and their mission is to simply please you.
Animals, I feel, have an inner soul that takes in more than we can understand, and they are deserving of the care we would give a helpless person. The City of Bloomington Animal Shelter understands this, and provides a wonderful shelter where success stories can become the "norm" for homeless animals. We would happily choose our next pet from the shelter, when our home again becomes too quiet from the absence of a beloved pet. We are grateful there are such places for pets, and we support them in their endeavors to make Bloomington more educated in the care of animals.