Animal Care & Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT Philly) and PetSmart Charities recently opened its new PetSmart Charities Everyday Adoption Center in Plymouth Meeting, with an increased capacity to help homeless pets in the Philadelphia area to find loving homes.
Amelia Dorminy, communications and development specialist for ACCT Philly, said the new adoption center has already found homes for 128 pets since it opened in September. She said she believes more people these days are turning to adoption centers to look for potential pets instead of other options.
“I think a lot of it is because shelters are getting smarter about marketing themselves and spreading the word,” she said. “So I think people want to save a life and they are doing the right thing.”
With adoption centers getting more attention from potential pet owners, Dorminy said that people sometimes come in with misconceptions about the adoption process and the kinds of pets that are looking for homes.
“People think there is something inherently wrong with a shelter pet, which isn’t true,” she said. “As far as the process, they think it’s going to take a really long time and require a lot of paperwork, which may be true for some rescues but not ACCT and not at our new Everyday Adoption Center. You can come in and you just need an ID and proof of address and you can take home a pet the same day. It’s pretty painless. We help you find a good fit. We’re not going to judge you. We want to help.”
Dorminy added that interested pet owners should come into the adoption centers without any preconceived notions about the kind of pet they are looking for and should also take into account the amount of time and energy their household has to offer when considering pets to adopt.
“Try to have an open mind and try to imagine what it’s going to be like to have a pet in your life before you take one home,” she said. “If you are busy all the time and have a hectic schedule, you might not want to get a puppy that requires a large time commitment. But if your schedule is flexible and you have other people in your home, whether it’s roommates or family to help out with the pet, maybe you can get a pet that requires a little more time. A lot of people have specific ideas of what they want their pet to look like but I think it’s personality that makes a better match. So just have an open mind and be realistic.”
Check out the new PetSmart Charities Everyday Adoption Center at the PetSmart Plymouth Meeting, 2100 Chemical Road, Plymouth Meeting. For more information, visit www.petsmartcharities.org or call 610-567-2933.
