City Celebrates Be Kind to Animals Week with Half-Price Adoptions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2007

For additional information:
Laurie Ringquist, Director of Animal Care and Control, City of Bloomington, 349-3492
Maria K. Heslin, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349-3569

Bloomington, IN - As part of the [Adopt Today!|http://www.bloomington.in.gov/adopt-today] adoption campaign, Mayor Mark Kruzan announced that the City of Bloomington will recognize Be Kind to Animals Week, May 6 - 13, 2007, in conjunction with the American Humane Association's annual celebration. To encourage adoptions, the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter is reducing all adoption fees to half price from May 5 to May 13. In addition, all children visiting the shelter that week will receive a "Be Kind to Animals" gift bag.

"One of the most meaningful ways to 'be kind' is to adopt a shelter animal," Kruzan said. "With puppy and kitten season approaching, we'll have even more adoptable animals than usual waiting for pet parents to love them."

Regular adoption fees are $75 for dogs and cats under 5 years and $55 for those 5 years and older. The City's discount reduces those fees to $37.50 and $27.50, respectively. The adoption fee includes spay/neuter, vaccines and microchipping plus heartworm test for dogs and testing for feline leukemia and FIV in cats.

The shelter offers many opportunities to "Be Kind to Animals." Individuals can:

• Volunteer at the shelter.
• Become a foster parent for shelter animals.
• Donate food, toys, bleach or bedding to the shelter.
• Spay or neuter your pets.
• Keep your pets current on vaccinations.
• Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags and are microchipped.
• Call City of Bloomington Animal Care and Control if you witness animal cruelty or abuse.
• Create a space for wildlife in your own backyard.
• Adopt Today!

The shelter is located at 3410 S. Walnut and is open to the public Mon/Wed/Thurs/Sat from noon to 5 p.m. and Tues/Fri from noon to 7 p.m. Adoptable animals can be viewed on the City's web site at [www.bloomington.in.gov|http://www.bloomington.in.gov]. Click on the Adopt Today! icon. They also can be seen at the Farmers' Market every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon and at the animal shelter's downtown offsite location, 124 E. Kirkwood Avenue, on Sundays from noon to 3 p.m.