Christmas isn’t just a season of anticipation for children, it’s also a time to find homes for animals. And a new pet during the holiday season can bring joy to both pet and owner.
Pat Huntley, with the Lea County Humane Society, told city leaders Monday the immediate goal of the Hobbs Animal Adoption Center and Lea County Humane Society is to find a home for every dog and cat by Christmas. To help with that, the LCHS is hosting a stocking stuffing for the animals.
Stockings are placed on the cage of each animal allowing donors the opportunity to bring them treats, toys and blankets. Their hope is that a donor could then become a pet owner.
“We’re wishing that all of them get a home before Christmas,” Huntley told the Hobbs City Commission Monday night. “If that’s not possible, we’re still going to keep trying. We’re going to make sure that everybody has a Merry Christmas.”
The animal adoption center at 702 N. Grimes St. was busy with activity Tuesday afternoon. A girl from Portales was checking the medical status of a cat, another teenage girl wanted to take home every dog as she walked the halls of the kennels with her mother, kneeling to make acquaintances along the way. And several prospective owners got to know their prospective pets while going for a walk together outside.
The holiday spirit fills the adoption center this time of year. Christmas stockings for dogs and cats hang outside their individual kennels, awaiting toys and treats.
“Those stockings are for the community to come and feel up with toys, treats, blankets, whatever you can think of that a dog might need to go home with, collars, leashes, anything that you can think of,” Huntley told city leaders. “Just bring what you can and fill up the stockings. The contents will go home with the dogs and cats as they’re adopted.”
All fees at the animal adoption center are waived in December to spur adoptions. Cats may be adopted for free, while the center is asking for a $20 toy donation for a child for each dog adoption. Micro-chipping, shots, spaying and neutering are included free.
As of Tuesday, the center had 168 dogs and cats. For more information, call the animal adoption center at 575-397-9323.
