Sunday’s Parade magazine featured pets that celebrities rescued from pet shelters.
They may get the glory, but it’s ordinary folks like you who make a difference when it comes to adopting pets. More than 3 million shelter animals are adopted each year. We suspect the vast majority have non-celebrity owners.
And if you’re one of those non-celebrities who are considering pet adoption, saving a little money might give you the encouragement you need to take the plunge into pet ownership.
That’s where the Jefferson City Animal Shelter’s Adoption Days come in.
For three days starting today, the shelter will wave the normal $50 fee for pet adoptions.
Make no mistake: That normal fee is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to pet costs.
You’ll still be paying for items such as food, collar, leash, a pet carrier and the occasional play toy. Of course, that’s on top of the usual veterinarian checkups.
So we don’t encourage you to enter pet adoption lightly.
Why are the fees waived during these three days?
Back in the 1990s, a young Jefferson City woman, Brenna Siebert, had a love for animals.
She helped homeless pets and pets whose owners could not afford to care for them.
She often paid veterinary costs from her own pocket. She was employed at Westside Veterinary Clinic.
Then, on July 17, 1996, she and her sister, Chrisha, along with their two cousins and 226 other passengers aboard TWA International Flight 800, lost their lives when the plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches (Long Island), New York, due to a fuel tank explosion.
It was an accident that shocked the nation and led to much speculation and investigations.
In Jefferson City, a lasting tribute came out of the sorrow: The Brenna Siebert Memorial Pet Care Fund. The fund was created by Brenna’s parents, Helen and Larry Siebert, in memory of their daughter.
Once a year, the fund generously pays for the adoption fees at the shelter for Adoption Days.
So, if you could provide a good home to one of the animals at the shelter, consider adopting.
Brenna would be delighted to see that, even in death, she’s still helping animals to find a home.
News Tribune