THE
BEST
GIFT
OF ALL
All a shelter
pet wants for
Christmas is a
home where she
can spend the
holidays, and the
rest of her life.
that doggie
How much is at Macy’s?
e!
in the window
adoption fe
Just a small
W
hen it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, some
animal shelters deck their halls for festive holiday
celebrations to showcase pets awaiting adoption.
The timing might be perfect for some people, who
are feeling generous and loving, and want to do good deeds.
Macy’s holiday windows
In downtown San Francisco, unsuspecting
passersby in Union Square walk past Macy’s
and find themselves going home with a
new pet. These windows aren’t your usual
yuletide displays, with wrapped gifts and
whimsical items. Cats and dogs from the
San Francisco Society for the Prevention of
28
Cruelty to Animals frolic and play behind
the glass in the popular Holiday Windows
event, a 30-year-old tradition.
“People are tired; they’ve been shopping.
Then they see these kittens and puppies in
the window, and their faces just light up,”
said Krista Maloney, media-relations
manager for the San Francisco SPCA.
Every day, shelter workers bring in
dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens, who woo
adopters through the windows or from
spots inside the store. People outside, often
holiday shoppers, stop to look at the cute,
furry faces in the five windows, which wrap
around a corner of the store.Volunteers
answer questions about the animals and
collect donations.
Adoption counselors meet with prospective pet parents inside the store. Successful
matches can go home together that day.
Typically, about 300 pets are adopted during
Holiday Windows every year. The festive
spirit and setting, along with the timing, contribute to the success of the event, which
PHOTOS THIS PAGE COURTESY SFSPCA
by Kellie B. Gormly
LUCKYPUPPYMAG.COM
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9/15/16 9:21 AM