Animal shelters make holiday gift plea

With holiday shopping in full swing, Northwest Valley no-kill shelters want animal lovers to remember homeless pets the next time they go to the store.

From bleach to cat toys, office supplies to toilet paper, animal shelters have lists of necessities that help keep the animals happy and healthy and the shelters running smoothly.

At Sun Valley Animal Shelter, 7150 N. 110th Ave. in Glendale, canned dog and cat food is always in demand.

"We are under contract with Science Diet for the dry food, but we do use different canned foods for the finicky eaters," said shelter manager Carrie Hipskind. "So that’s always big on our list."

Hipskind said the shelter also needs fleece dog and cat beds, toys for dogs and cats, metal food bowls of all sizes, hot and cold humidifiers, cat litter pans and clay non-scoopable litter, which is disposed of every day.

"And we always need potty pads for the puppies, because we try to give them a good start with potty training," Hipskind said.

Office and cleaning supplies are needed, including bleach, hand sanitizer, brooms, dustpans and general office supplies.

Hipskind said the shelter receives the majority of its adoptable animals from Maricopa County Animal Care and Control through the New Hope program, which allows qualified shelters to select animals off the euthanasia list to put up for adoption elsewhere.

Chihuahuas, Hipskind said, are one of the most predominant breeds found at the county shelter. So, Sun Valley Animal Shelter has been running a Chihuahua adoption special for $75, which includes all shots, spaying or neutering, a microchip, a free month of pet insurance, 5 pounds of food and a training DVD.

The shelter also is offering discounts on feline adoptions, with adult cats costing $25 and kittens up to age 6 months costing $75. Call 623-872-7941 for information.

At Sun Cities 4 Paws Animal Rescue in Peoria, intake manager Pam Stene said adoptions have been brisk. but there is still a two-month waiting list for those who want to turn in their cats.

"We did 40 adoptions in November and 60 in October," Stene said. "And kitten season has slowed down, so we are very hopeful."

The shelter is running a special on kittens: Adopt one for $90, and you can adopt a second kitten for $45 more.

The shelter, which rescues cats and kittens exclusively, needs cat-related items including canned food, small paper plates, goat’s milk and any kind of baby food (except ham, which has too much sodium) for kittens.

Clumping litter, scratching posts for inside the cages, toys and feather wands also are needed.

Cleaning and other products such as tissues, laundry soap, dish soap, toilet paper, bleach and paper towels are also on the Sun Cities 4 Paws wish list.

Finally, shelter representatives want to remind those who may be thinking of adopting a pet for someone else to refrain. Part of the adoption process should be a connection made between the animal and the adopter, they said, and will ensure the animal is going to a home where it is truly wanted and will be loved.

"We don’t do third-party adoptions," Stene said. "It’s never a good idea to give an animal as a gift, so we encourage people to give a gift certificate for our shelter instead."

Sun Cities 4 Paws shelter is at 10807 N. 96th Ave., Peoria, and the intake facility, which also has cats and kittens for adoption, is at 11129 W. Michigan Ave. in Youngtown. Call 623-876-8778 for information.