Pets: An Adoption Special for the Holidays

Urging people who want to adopt pets for Christmas to do so early this season, the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control offers a special low-cost adoption program today and Sunday at all its shelters.

For these two days, spay and neuter fees for dogs and cats at county shelters will be waived. The required deposits for spaying and neutering, usually $13 for cats and $18 for dogs, will be paid for by various humane organizations. This weekend’s fees for dogs will be $23.65 instead of $41.65; cats $18.63, instead of $21.63. Included as well as the spaying and neutering are the animal’s shots and 15-day follow-up health care checkup at the shelter.

“We want people to think early adoption because it enables them to celebrate Christmas twice,” said a department representative. “If they take home a pet as an early Christmas gift, that gives it a chance to adjust to the home before the holiday and it will become part of the family in time to share all the other fun on Christmas Day.”

Saturday and Sunday hours for the special early adoption program will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at all six shelters, located in Downey, Carson, Baldwin Park, Lancaster, Castaic and Agoura.