Animal Friends' New Year's Eve Rescue Gives Pets a Second Chance at Life

For the past 16 years, Animal Friends’ annual New Year’s Eve Rescue has been a Pittsburgh tradition and a last-chance lifeline for pets. On Monday, December 31, Animal Friends’ staff and volunteer traveled to local shelters and animal control facilities to save pets that would otherwise not see 2013.

A total of 27 dogs and seven cats were brought to Animal Friends’ resource center, where they were vaccinated, bathed, groomed, given medical and behavioral evaluations, and scheduled for spay/neuter surgery. Rescued pets will be available for adoption beginning January 2, 2013.

Rescues like this one are a shining example of why adopting is so critical. For every animal who finds a home through Animal Friends, there are others who desperately await a space and a second chance at life. The rescue also casts a light on the staggering number of pets that are euthanized every year.

Animal Friends is a non-profit companion animal resource center serving the needs of pets and people since 1943. Their progressive programs have been nationally recognized and include humane rescue, shelter and adoption services, humane education, pet behavior classes, pet-assisted therapy, wellness programs and more. In addition, Animal Friends is leading the way towards ending pet overpopulation in western Pennsylvania through comprehensive community-wide spay/neuter programming.

For more information, visit www.ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org.