WILLIAMSBURG — Now through Valentine’s Day, the Heritage Humane Society’s (HHS) annual Hearts for Homeless Pets fundraiser will be helping spread love and awareness.
For a $10 donation to HHS, a paper heart can be customized with up to three names of pet lovers, pets, or even the name of an adoptable pet currently looking for a home. The hearts will then be on display in the adoption center lobby, located at 430 Waller Mill Road in Williamsburg, through the end of February.
All donations are tax-deductible and 100% of the proceeds directly support the animals at HHS. A $5,000 gift match by an anonymous supporter increases the impact of a donation.
The idea for the love-themed event originated with HHS Auxiliary volunteer Amanda Ibrahim and is spearheaded by the HHS Auxiliary, which handwrites the names on each heart.
“We are excited to be going into our third year of the Hearts For Homeless Pets Campaign! We regularly have hundreds of animals that are searching for someone to share their love with in their forever homes,” stated Ibrahim. “By donating hearts, you are helping provide much-needed care for the animals in our shelter. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped make this a success over the past two years! We are looking forward to this year being an even greater success!”
Local businesses can also support the fundraiser by becoming a “Hearts Sponsor.”
Benefits include a package of hearts for the sponsor to customize and display in their business, an hour-long adoptable dog visit to their business, their logo on the HHS website, sponsor spotlight and tagging on HHS’s social media, and “Hearts Sponsor” signage for them to display at their business.
Two locally owned businesses have already signed on to be Hearts Sponsors — Nautical Dog and Schwarty’s Cat Cove and Williamsburg Jewelers.
“Helping homeless pets is a critical part of our mission at the Nautical Dog, which is what prompted us to open Schwarty’s Cat Cove last July,” Amanda Wilbourne, owner of Nautical Dog and Schwarty’s Cat Cove said. “We love being a part of the pet’s journey home and are happy to be partnering with The Heritage Humane Society in Hearts for Homeless Pets this year.”
With a goal to cover the lobby in love, red and pink hearts can be purchased either online, by mail, or in person at the adoption center from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Those who come in person have the option to customize their own heart.
“I love this time of year when the lobby of our adoption center starts to fill up with hearts and love messages for the pets in our care and the community. For the homeless pets at The Heritage Humane Society Humane Society, it feels so wonderful to know — and see — how many people love and support them,” stated HHS Executive Director Kimberly Laska.
For more information, contact Heritage Humane Society.
