The Ingham County Animal Shelter in Mason is inviting the community to its Holiday Open House this weekend. Saturday's event will include special adoption fees, pet photos with Santa, and a chance to collect items for the dogs and cats at the shelter.
Volunteers are hoping to fill an animal control trailer with goodies from the public such as leashes, collars, Frisbees, chew toys, Kongs, dog and cat beds, and chaser toys. “These toys are luxuries,” said event coordinator Ashley Hayes. “The shelter cannot afford to buy these items. It requires a lot of toys to make 100 dogs and 100 cats happy.”
Scheduled activities during Saturday's open house include “any donation” adoption fees for all animals, microchipping cats and dogs for $15 per pet, a gift with every cat and dog adopted, Santa photos, free refreshments and guided tours of the shelter, door prizes, and a Cake Walk to benefit the shelter’s Animal Care Fund. Members of the community will also get a chance to meet the shelter volunteers and staff, including ICAC’s new Director, John Dinon.
“The Holiday Open House is to thank the community and donors for their support and to share with them the improvements the shelter has made, as well as the direction the shelter is going and future improvement we are striving for,” said office coordinator Teresa Carter.
Some former shelter pets will be back as well so donors can see the progress the animals they funded have made, and how their generosity helped to save a life.
The Holiday Open House runs from 10 am to 4pm, at the shelter located at 600 Curtis Street in Mason.
