Animal advocate, journalist, and author Jill Rappaport launched a holiday adoption campaign, “A Home For The Holidays,” with Southampton Animal Shelter. The goal was to find forever homes for a selection of dogs who needed it most at the shelter.
“Especially this time of year, we need to think about the animals in the shelters because it’s the worst it’s been in years,” said Rappaport. “I reached out to Nicole at Southampton Animal Shelter, and I said, ‘I wanna come there and shine a light on them in a different way.'”
The initiative focuses on some of the more difficult adoption cases — seniors, pits, and special needs.
“I want to focus on your underdogs. Don’t give me your healthy, beautiful puppies. I want your seniors, your pits, your special needs,” Rappaport continued.
Ten dogs have since found homes during the campaign, with a few more to go, inspiring Rappaport to continue the campaign as “A Home After The Holidays.” She aims to find homes for the remaining dogs this winter.
“We have focused on everything from a blind, deaf puppy to a 10-year-old senior that was rejected and returned many times,” she said. “We have since gotten out ten dogs, and we are talking underdogs. So I have felt that this is the best gift in the world. And when we realized that we still had six to seven left, I said, ‘We can’t stop now.’ Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean we give up on them. They need their home.”
“Everyone at the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation is so incredibly thankful and grateful for Jill’s time and energy and passion for what she does for all of our animals here at the shelter,” said Nicole Tumilowicz, the Southampton Animal Shelter’s Director of Marketing.
Meet A Few Of The Dogs:
Dozer is a three-year-old mixed-breed dog who weighs about 70 pounds. He was initially adopted by an owner who loved him, but unfortunately, his owner fell upon hard times and had nowhere to live. Dozer has been at the shelter longer than expected despite having a “heart of gold.”
“I can’t explain or understand what the heck is going on with this beautiful dog, other than the fact he is a bully breed. And there’s always some apprehension to adopt a bully breed. He’s perfect and sweet, and he’s been sitting here for two years. So we’ve got to get him out,” said Rappaport.
Meet Zero, a handsome 1-year-old boy found as a stray this fall. He is a medium-sized dog weighing around 50 pounds. He is considered deaf, so the shelter’s trainers have begun teaching him hand signals. He is active and loves meeting people.
Zero is a “beautiful 1-year-old dog. I never feature young dogs, but he has been highlighted multiple times because he’s hearing impaired. And that issue has held him back… He is so smart, adorable, and playful,” said Rappaport.
Loverboy and Romeo are a bonded pair of huskies who must be placed together in a home. They are seven years old and have lived together their entire lives. These dogs are happy and energetic, and they would love someone to take them on daily walks.
“These dogs are absolutely gorgeous, but they are seven years young,” said Rappaport. “They’re bonded. They have to go together. They’re wonderful, and they should get a home. They deserve a home.”
For more information on all dogs up for adoption at the Southampton Animal Shelter, visit the website. To learn more about Rappaport’s line of pet products that give back, visit petproductswithapurpose.com.
