NOTE: Since our story just posted, we have been told that a family friend of The Laker News has adopted Loui. Congrats! So Meisha is the lone one that now needs to find her furever home.
BEDFORD: Bailey Kirkpatrick and her colleagues at the PetSmart in Bedford would like nothing better then to end the week knowing they have helped two more adoptable kittens find a home to call their own—forever.
But that can only happen if the two cute, cuddly five-month-old kittens they have her location, Loui and Meisha, get adopted during PetSmart Charities of Canada’s National Adoption Week, which runs from July 15 to July 21.
The two kittens were rescued by CARMA Cat Rescue Maritimes. They are a not-for-profit cat rescue that Traps Neuters and Returns. Basically, they will go to cat colonies and take the mama cats, and once they have their babies, they find homes for the babies and fix the mamas and usually release them because they’re feral.
Meisha and Loui are a brother-sister tandem that will make great family pets, said Kirkpatrick.
“They’re very playful. They’re very cuddly, very loving cats who are looking for a great forever home,” Kirkpatrick, Associate Team Lead, told The Laker News who stopped by on July 17.
ADVERTISEMENT:
Kirkpatrick said it’s an amazing feeling to be part of finding kittens like Loui and Meisha their new family.
“It means a lot to be able to be a part of that and help these animals live their lives to the fullest and help families find these amazing little family members,” she said.
During National Adoption Week, PetSmart Charities across the country try to match adoptable pets with families.
Kitten season marks a time where hundreds of kittens are born and unfortunately discarded to overwhelmed shelters.
According to PetSmart Charities of Canada, 90% of pet adoptions this year are cats – and the rate has grown by 17% since last year.
This week, local PetSmart stores have been hosting adoptable kittens, offering potential pet parents the perfect opportunity to interact with loving pets from animal welfare organizations and to see if they’ve found their new best friend!
Inviting local communities to participate by adopting a new furry friend, share support with a donation, or even learning from experts on finding the best pet suited for each family’s needs, PetSmart Charities of Canada is hoping to reach 400,000 in-store adoptions milestone in 2024.
ADVERTISEMENT:
Kirkpatrick said the staff at the Bedford PetSmart always find National Adoption Week to be really fun.
“We always hope to get lots of kittens in because we like to help them out, help CARMA Cat Rescue Maritimes out,” she said.
She did admit that sometimes the kittens can grow on her, and other employees.
But they know they have to put the barrier up between wanting them and seeing them get to a new, forever loving home.
“It’s so difficult,” said Kirkpatrick.
“You can love the pets while they’re in the store, but once they find a home and go with them, that’s it.”
ADVERTISEMENT:
She said if people are interested in adopting Loui and Meisha they can stop by the Bedford Commons location.
The process to adopt is fairly quick, she said, and does involve an application to CARMA.
“They’ll come into the store, they’ll fill out an application here, and then we will send it off to CARMA,” explained Kirkpatrick.
“CARMA will check the application, asking what vet the family adopting is planning to use, if they own their own home or rent, etc.
“They’ll try to match a family with a cat. It’s not really first come, first serve. It’s trying to find the right cat for the right family. It can take a couple days, but it’s usually fairly quick.”
