By Lori Simmons Zelenko
The staff of Bidawee is loving, kind and devoted to the wellbeing of the shelter’s animals but especially during the Holidays, volunteers are needed to give each pet a little extra love. Call to learn how you can help, 866-262-8133.
Don’t you just love those TV commercials with that bouncing puppy looking extra adorable with a big red bow? Aww…how cute, a darling doggie as the perfect gift. But though for many, a frisky puppy or a playful kitty is wonderful to discover on Christmas morning and New York City pet adoption center Bideawee is standing by to help make such a “special gift” happen, adopting a pet does come with responsibilities as well as joy and laughter and yes, lots of love. Bideawee is leading the drive in New York City this holiday season to not only help 250 pets find loving homes but to make sure that the families who adopt them are the perfect match, fully aware of how rewarding it can be to bring a pet into their lives and ready for the commitment involved in caring for a dog or cat.
There’s no shortage of adorable cats and dogs from Bideawee who will be a welcoming friend and dedicated, loving companion to New Yorkers of any age; healthy pets all who will be grateful for kind, caring “parents.” To ensure that every individual or family that adopts is just right for the pet, Bideawee has a matchmaking service that would put eHarmony to shame. With great attention they evaluate the “pet parents” to be, considering the home environment, the lifestyle, the family dynamic, looking at all the factors that will make sure that the adopted pet finds the best forever home; this way it’s a happy “marriage” not a brief romance.
Home 4 the Holidays is a holiday-time adoption drive that encourages people to choose pet adoption. Bideawee stands out within the collective group nationally of more than 4,000 pet adoption agencies, facilities and rescue groups, encouraging and educating all who want to bring a pet into their lives. Home 4 the Holidays has become the largest pet adoption campaign on record, saving more than 10 million pets since its inception in 1999. Bideawee is thrilled to be part of this campaign this year.
Dedicated to helping 250 pets find forever homes this Holiday season, Bideawee President and CEO, Dolores Swirin-Yao helps lead the Home 4 The Holidays rescue drive in New York and across the USA. Photo by Andrew Werner
A visit to the “pound,” as shelters were known not that long ago, was hardly welcoming, rather it was a cold, uncaring place where lost or orphaned pets were impounded. Perception was that the “pound” might yield a tail-wagging but ugly mutt. But that is not the case today, like Bob Dylan says, “The times they are a changing.” Frequently pure bred or even handsome mixed breed pets find their way to an adoption agency like Bideawee, surrendered by owners who may have adopted on impulse or found they simply cannot keep a pet.
Bideawee, founded more than 113 years ago, is a friendly, cozy and loving environment that takes great care to make sure their dogs or cats are thoroughly evaluated for any health concerns or behavior issues, from chewing to house training, and for their personalities: Are they frisky, Frisbee catching pups? Or easygoing cats who just prefer a good snooze? Good with kids or better in an adults-only household? All of these questions and more factor in when Bideawee arranges a pet adoption.
Bideawee is helping to lead a nationwide pet adoption drive that raises awareness about the loving pets that are in shelters waiting for their “forever” homes. Although the intention for Bideawee is to increase pet adoptions this time of year, there’s more than one way to help a lonely pet over the holidays, volunteers are needed to help these animals stay socialized.
Found a pet and formed that intense personal bond? But concerned that in case something incapacitated you, that your beloved animal would be abandoned and left in a shelter? Bideawee helps owners plan ahead with their Loving Legacy program which allows the owner to make financial provisions to ensure that the pet (dogs or cats) will spend the rest of its life in a loving environment placed with a caring family.
Bideawee can help tailor a program for pets left behind when an owner can no longer care for them that is a fit with the pet’s needs (health and emotional). Loving Legacy is a gift of peace of mind; better to take advantage of it before it’s needed than leave your pet’s fate to chance.
Bideawee is not only an adoption center but a full service animal hospital serving the dogs and cats of the New York and Long Island community for more than 113 years. http://www.bideawee.org
Pets, they say are the new children, this holiday season bring a four-legged friend into your life, adopt a “fur baby” and share the love. The gift of a pet’s affection may be delightful to discover under the tree but it’s a joy to treasure every day of the year.
Bideawee is more than simply an adoption agency for pets, it also offers a full-service hospital providing wellness, medical, urgent care and surgical services for pets. It is located at 410 East 38th Street in Midtown Manhattan, close to the East River. There is also an adoption center in Westhampton on Long Island. Pets are available for adoption 10:00 am to 7:00 pm Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Saturday, and 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Sunday. Volunteers are very much needed over the Holiday season so if bringing a dog or cat home is not an option, head on over anyway to give these pets a little love; they need walks, playtime and companionship. The most frequently updated source of information on adoptable pets is Bideawee’s website http://www.bideawee.org/home4holidays or call 866-262-8133. For events and other news look for the latest from Bidawee on Facebook.