SeaWorld join forces with FL rescue shelters to aid animal adoption

Photo credit: http://www.seaworld.com/

SeaWorld in Orlando, FL.,  is joining forces with the SPCA of Central Florida and Orange County Animal Services to encourage more people to adopt dogs and cats in need of a home.

“SeaWorld’s Happy Tails” is a new animal adoption campaign that offers pet lovers two free single-day admissions to SeaWorld when they adopt a dog or cat from one of the participating animal shelters. Tickets are valid for admission to the park for a day at any time within one year of receipt.

Over 39,000 animals in need of a good home are impounded each year at the SPCA of Central Florida shelters in Orlando and Sanford, and the Orange County Animal Services shelter in Orlando. SeaWorld’s National Animal Ambassador has said the new program, starting today, is SeaWorld’s way of supporting the ‘incredible organizations and saying ‘thank you’ to people who help save animals’.

‘We are thrilled to partner with SeaWorld for an innovative program that benefits both pets and people in our community,’ said assistant manager of Orange County Animal Services, Dil Luther. ‘Saving a shelter pet’s life is a reward in itself, but a trip to SeaWorld is a generous ‘thank you’ new adopters will undoubtedly enjoy.’

Details of the program, including participating shelters, can be found on www.seaworldcares.com

Dogs Deserve Better group seeks to buy Vick dog fighting property

Dogs Deserve Better rescue group plan to purchase the property that was Michael Vick’s dog fighting facility in order to turn it into a dog rehabilitation sanctuary.

The property is located in Surry County, VA and if bought, the 15 acre grounds would become the aptly named “Good Newz Rehab Center”. The center would include large penned area for dogs to run, many individual pens and a facility to help distressed dogs recuperate. The five bedroom luxury home would be turned into official offices for the group.

$600,000 will need to be raised by 3/20 in order to secure the property and an estimated 3 million in total will be needed for the full renovation. The group from Central Pennsylvania’s founder and CEO, Tamira Thayne stated, ‘our efforts at this time matter, because we recognize that this horrible thing happened, but now let’s turn it into something positive.’ Thayne went on to say that certain parts of the facility would not be built on and would be fenced off as a memorial to the dogs that were lost as a result of Vick’s fighting operation.

Dogs Deserve Better have a Facebook page named ‘999,999 Friends for the DDB Good Newz Rehab Center for Chained Dogs‘ in order to raise funds and awareness for the cause. The theory is that if 999,999 people join and donate just $1.00, then they will be able to afford the property and start work on it soon after. Donations are also being accepted on the Dogs Deserve Better website.