Make December purr-fect: Adoption events and holiday fun at the Hayward Animal Shelter

The Hayward Animal Shelter is kicking off the holiday season with exciting adoption opportunities and festive events to help our furry friends find their forever homes. This December, the shelter is partnering with Bissell’s Empty the Shelters and SantaCon Hayward to make adoption easier and more affordable while raising funds to support animal care. 

Through Saturday, Dec. 14, qualifying adoptions will be offered at a discounted rate as part of Bissell’s Empty the Shelters campaign. Adopters will need to complete a brief survey from Bissell to participate. While not all animals at the shelter are part of this event, signage will make it easy to identify those eligible for the promotion. It’s a paw-some chance to find your new best friend! 

The fun doesn’t stop there! Starting the following week, SantaCon Hayward will sponsor adoption fees for a limited number of pets. The sponsorship culminates on Saturday, Dec. 21, with the shelter’s annual Home for the Holidays event. Stop by to enjoy a festive bake sale, snap adorable photos with Santa “Claws” and support a great cause. Through Dec. 21, you can also make a pet’s Christmas extra special by bringing a wrapped gift to leave under the shelter’s Christmas tree. On Christmas Day, the shelter will post a heartwarming video of pets opening the gifts on social media. Visit the shelter’s website for donation ideas and a wish list. 

All donations made during the Home for the Holidays event will directly benefit the shelter’s medical fund and spay/neuter services. The medical fund is a vital resource for helping animals in need, providing life-changing surgeries, such as entropion repairs, amputations and ear ablations, thanks to community support. Every dollar raised through the bake sale, Santa “Claws” photos and wrapped gifts helps ensure our animals receive the care they need to thrive. 

Can’t make it to the event? No problem! Visit the Hayward Animal Shelter’s website to view their donation wish list or contribute online. Together, we can make this holiday season one to remember—both for our community and the animals who call it home.