The dogs, cats and rabbits of Santa Barbara County’s animal shelters will launch their 2012 “All I Want for the Holidays is a Home of My Own” campaign with a press conference on Wednesday December 12, 2012 at 3:30 pm, at Santa’s Workshop in La Cumbre Plaza. The public is welcome.

The animals intend to appeal to both the general public and directly to Santa Claus to find them homes this holiday season so they do not have to spend another lonely Christmas in cages, with no homes of their own.

“We sit up and beg the animal loving people of Santa Barbara County to open their hearts and homes to us, in the spirit of the holidays,” says Animal Services’ spokesdog Ruby, who has been living at the Santa Barbara shelter since October 2010. “It’s a lonely life, living in a kennel day after day, month after month, year after year.”
Spokescat Morbius who lives at A.S.A.P. at the Santa Barbara County shelter, concurred with Ruby, albeit from a safe distance. “It’s warm and dry at A.S.A.P., and they give us food and good care. But even a comfortable cage is still a cage.”

Spokesrabbit Wiley noted, “Every one of us has something special to offer we just need the opportunity to show you.”

In support of the animals’ campaign, Santa Barbara County Animal Services is offering deep discounts on adoption fees from December 15-24: cats over six months of age will cost only $25, with adoption fees of $40 for a kitten or two kittens for $75. Dog adoption fees will be reduced to $50; the fee for rabbits will be only $15. All shelter animals come spayed or neutered and vaccinated.

The animals at all three Animal Services shelters – Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and Santa Maria – have made themselves available for the same reduced fee, and urge members of the public to visit them during business hours: Monday- Friday 9-4:30 and Saturday 10-4. For more information, contact their official representative, Animal Services Outreach Coordinator Stacy Silva, at 805-934-6981.