2012 Animal Shelter Makeover: P&G Paws for a Cause Part I

Once someone chooses to adopt an animal and the pet adoption process begins, much emphasis is placed on the importance of choosing the right animal for you and your family. When mulling over the decision, potential pet owners need to consider their lifestyle needs with the needs of their future pet, and weigh the pros and cons of an animal fitting into their home environment.

Often overlooked in the pet adoption process, however, is one of the first steps; before a pet parent can even decide what pet is right for them and their family, they need to first walk through the doors of an animal shelter or rescue. While many don't think about it, the overall environment and the condition of an animal shelter's facilities does have an effect on adoption; it can influence whether or not someone enters a shelter in the first place.

In conjunction with the IAMS initiative Home 4 the Holidays, a pet adoption program that lasts for the duration of the holiday season, P&G Pet Care has set out to help increase adoptions by making over an animal shelter annually. The program, called Paws for a Cause, sees animal-loving volunteers work for an entire day to makeover a local shelter, improving the facility to hopefully raise adoption rates and improve the quality of life for shelter animals and workers.

This year, Paws for a Cause set its sights on assisting Circle Tail, an Ohio-area 501(c)(3) non-profit rescue. Petside was on the scene to document the shelter's radical transformation.

Watch the video above to see the Part I of our three-part animal shelter makeover series, and check out Part II now to see the actual animal shelter makeover in progress. And check back Monday November 19 for Part III to see the volunteers at work and the final changes.