Free Pets for Seniors at Seattle Animal Shelter

Area animal shelters have come under fire recently for providing substandard living conditions for orphaned pets (mainly King County's, not so much Seattle's), but the Seattle Animal Shelter in Interbay is starting a really cool program that waives the adoption fee for senior citizens and disabled adults who are willing to adopt older domestic animals. The program kicks off in November; full details after the jump.

In recognition of November as Adopt-a-Senior Pet Month, the
Seattle Animal Shelter waives the adoption fee for seniors and adults
with disabilities who adopt a dog or cat aged six years or older. If you
are considering adding a pet to your household and you are eligible,
consider the shelters Golden Pets for Golden Years program.

Anyone holding the city of Seattles Gold Card or FLASH Card is eligible
to adopt a dog or cat aged six years or older, free of charge, and
receive a 50-percent discount on a pet license. This offer is in
addition to another program offering cardholders a 50-percent discount
on adoption fees for cats aged 2 years or older.

Through the Mayors Office for Senior Citizens, residents of greater
Seattle, who are 60 years of age or older, are eligible for the Gold
Card for Healthy Aging and adults with disabilities are eligible for the
FLASH Card.

"These cards offer many benefits and can make life a little easier for
our seniors and people with disabilities," Mayor Greg Nickels said.
"Through this special offer from the shelter, we have a win-win
situation. We help senior dogs and cats by placing them in loving homes,
and cardholders can bring a sparkling companion into their lives."

For many people, adopting an adult cat or dog is the right thing to do.
Adult cats and dogs are often already socialized with people and other
pets, theyve been house trained, and they usually have more mellow
temperaments, according to Shelter Director Don Jordan.

"Numerous studies have shown having a pet as an integral part of the
family unit helps pet owners lead longer and happier lives," Jordan
said.

Adopting a cat or dog from the Seattle Animal Shelter not only saves
that animal from unnecessary euthanasia, but through these special
offers, it is also a tremendous value. With the 50-percent discount, a
two-year Seattle cat license costs $11, and a two-year dog license costs
$15. A full-price adoption package for the general public ranges from
$60 to $65 for a cat, and $95 to $135 for a dog, and includes:
Initial vaccinations
Deworming
Feline Leukemia testing
Certificate for free health exam at local veterinarians
Spay or neuter
Microchip (About the size of a grain of rice, the microchip is injected
under the cats skin, providing an identification number associated with
that animal. Animal shelters can then scan a lost animal and retrieve
its records from the microchip.)

The Gold Card and FLASH Card are part of a countywide campaign to
promote health and access to services by publicizing toll-free
assistance telephone numbers. Cardholders can also use the cards to
register for services and programs, and as library cards at Seattle
Public Libraries. Eligible residents of greater Seattle can obtain the
Gold Card or FLASH Card at any of the 13 Neighborhood Service Centers;
the Mayors Office for Senior Citizens, Central Building, Suite 350, 810
Third Ave.; and at the Seattle Animal Shelter, 2061-15th Ave. W.,
approximately one mile south of the Ballard Bridge.

For more information about the Gold Card and FLASH Card programs, call
the Mayors Office for Senior Citizens at (206)684-0500.

To talk with an adoption counselor or preview cats and dogs available
for adoption, the Seattle Animal Shelter is open every day, noon to 6
p.m. For more information, please call (206)386-PETS(7387). You may also
preview animals currently available for adoption at:
http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org