Are you in need of a gift for animal-loving friends and family this holiday season?
The Partners for Pets program makes it easy to donate in someone's honor.
Half of the pets taken to American animal shelters are humanely euthanized.
In fact, The Humane Society of the United States estimates that three to four million dogs and cats are euthanized each year due to lack of homes to adopt them.
Your donation will help local pets find loving, forever homes. With any gift donation, animal services will mail a personalized holiday greeting card with your message to notify the gift recipient of your donation in their honor.
Making a gift donation not only shows that you understand and support their love and passion of protecting and caring for animals, but your contribution directly helps the quality of life of our local pets.
Partners for Pets donations are tax-deductible and unlike national donation plans, 100 percent of all Partners for Pets donations will benefit animals in Santa Rosa County.
Gift donations can be made securely online at www.santarosa.fl.gov/partnersforpets or by requesting a donation form by calling (850) 983-4680.
Santa Rosa County Animal Services Partners for Pets program was established in 2009 with the goal of seeing every adoptable pet finding a loving, forever home.
Donations to the program are used to enhance animal service efforts including a spay-and-neuter program, educational outreach on the benefits of spaying and neutering, and adoption events throughout the county.
When combined, these efforts have been proven to make a dramatic difference in local pet populations and in reducing the number of animals that must be humanely euthanized.
Unlike private shelters that can have limitations on the number of animals they accept, Santa Rosa County's shelter accepts each one with more than 7,800 animals passing through their doors.
Unfortunately, only an average of 20 percent are adopted, sent to rescue organizations or reunited with their families when found straying from home. Sterilization of pets is the best solution to the overpopulation problem in our county.
In addition to gift donations, many other types and levels of support are available including one-time donations, monthly donations, memorial gifts and supply donations.
We are currently in need of kitten food, puppy food, and old blankets and towels. Your contribution can make the difference in how well and how many animals we can care for each year.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Partners for Pets Donations Make Great Holiday Gifts for Animal Lovers