Thanks to all who made the event a great success!!!

PRESS RELEASE

PET ADOPTION DAY SCHEDULED AT VETERINARY COLLEGE

BLACKSBURG, VA, October 25, 2002--
Several local animal welfare organizations and the Community Foundation of the New River Valley will team with students in the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine to present the area's first "Family Pet Adoption Day" on Saturday, November 9 from noon until 4 p.m. on the college's Virginia Tech campus.

More than 40 animals currently in the custody and care of a variety of area shelter and adoption organizations will be on site. Participating organizations include Pound Pals of Radford, Giles Animal Rescue, Floyd County Humane Society, Virginia PAWS (Virginia Partnership for Animal Welfare and Support), Dalmation Rescue of Southwest Virginia, Pulaski County Humane Society and Vet Students with Fosters.

DVM students from the VMRCVM will evaluate the health and condition of participating animals, interview prospective owners in an effort to match family lifestyles with animal characteristics, and implant an identifying microchip in each adopted animal. If a micro-chipped animal is ever lost, local shelters and/or veterinary clinics can use a special scanner to help locate the animal's owner.

The Assisi Clinics of Virginia, Inc., a non-profit charitable organization that works to resolve the animal over-population crisis by offering free and low-cost animal spay and neutering services through mobile veterinary surgical clinics and conducting public information campaigns, will also be on site during the day. The public will also have an opportunity to tour the Angels of Assisi Spay Shuttle and Adoption Trailer.

Presented in conjunction with the Humane Society of the United States' National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, the "Family Pet Adoption Day" is designed to facilitate pet adoptions and raise awareness of the animal over-population issue, according to Dr. Marie Suthers-McCabe, extension specialist-animal human interaction and director of the Center for Animal Human Relationships (CENTAUR).

"Millions of unwanted animals are euthanized every year in shelters around the country," said Dr. Suthers-McCabe. "But shelters and organizations around the country are beginning to make a difference by helping locate homes for unwanted animals and by encouraging spay-neuter and responsible ownership."

All of the animals looking for new homes will be spayed or neutered, be current on immunizations against infectious diseases, and be free of obvious abnormalities at the time of examination. VMRCVM veterinary students will conduct complete physical examinations on all animals and a health record will be attached.

The students will also administer adoption questionnaires to prospective owners and make recommendations to the custodial sheltering organization about the suitability of prospective matches. The humane organizations will then check references and conduct home visitations prior to placing the animal. No animals will be allowed to go home with their new families on the day of the event and there will be an adoption fee for all animals.

Sponsoring organizations within the VMRCVM include CENTAUR, the Omega Tau Sigma Service Fraternity, the Animal Welfare Club, and the Companion Animal Club. Some funding to support the event is being provided by a grant from the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

The event will be held in front of the VMRCVM, which is located on Duck Pond Drive on the Virginia Tech campus. In the event of bad weather, the event will be held on November 16. For additional information, contact Lynn Chipkin at Lynnchipkin@hotmail.com or
Lila Borge Wills at vapaws@onemain.com (540) 651-4530.