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05
Apr

Coalition of Animal Welfare Orgs Announce “Small Pets” Fee-Waived Adoptathon Ahead of Easter

MSPCA-Angell, Northeast Animal Shelter, Animal Rescue League of Boston, Dakin Humane Society and Lowell Humane Society Take Part in “Some-Bunny is Waiting for You This Easter!”

BOSTON, April 5, 2022 – For the first time ever, a coalition of Massachusetts animal welfare organizations has banded together to place what could be hundreds of small pets—rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils and others—into new homes, at no cost to adopters.

Dubbed “Some-Bunny is Waiting For You This Easter!,” the campaign shines a spotlight on the continuing need for small pet adopters, a category of animals whose populations remain high in shelters across the region.

The adoptathon begins Saturday, April 9 and continues into Sunday, April 10.  More than 250 animals will be available for adoption during the event—including parakeets, rats, gerbils and mice.

The organizations involved have made it easy for adopters to identify—and ultimately meet—the new pet they wish to take home.  Readers can access adoptable pets at the MSPCA via www.mspca.org/feewaived and at Northeast Animal Shelter (NEAS) at neas.org/feewaived.

Readers should consult the Websites of other participating shelters for adoption information.

The MSPCA-Angell’s Director of Adoption Centers and Programs, Mike Keiley, said that this type of adoption event has become a “regular feature” of the MSPCA’s adoption-specific programming because, in short, it works and it remains necessary.

“We continue to experience regular surges in our guinea pig and rabbit populations and we know that our friends in the movement have experienced similar surges, so the timing is right to roll this very successful campaign out more broadly.”

The MSPCA and NEAS have staged four fee-waived adoptathons for small pets in the last year alone, resulting in 280 animals going home.  “And the cost savings for adopters, with having fees waived are an added bonus for anyone looking to add a small pet to their home,” said Keiley.

Adopters who take advantage of the adoptathon will save $85 per rabbit and $30 per guinea pig, money that can be re-applied to the care of these new pets.

Rabbit Adoptions on… Easter?!
Much has been made of the notion that rabbits adopted around Easter time are rendered homeless after their novelty fades, a common perception that, according to Keiley, is not supported by data.  “We’ve just never experienced a surge in returned animals, including rabbits, following the Easter holidays,” Keiley said.

“These pets are overwhelmingly adopted by responsible individuals and families who’ll keep their new pet for his or her entire life, and the reason we’re holding the event at this time is to bust the myth that Easter-time rabbit adoptions are somehow problematic for animals, when data and our direct experience show the opposite,” he added.

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