Whisker Wonderland will offer discounted adoption rates this Saturday across 17 Los Angeles shelters. (Photo courtesy of FoundAnimals.org)

UPDATE: Whisker Wonderland was successful in breaking its past record by finding homes for 511 pets in a single day.

Anyone in Los Angeles County looking to adopt a loving pet during the holiday season is in luck.

Seventeen local animal shelters will be participating in Whisker Wonderland, a county-wide adoption event. The event, hosted by the Found Animals Foundation, is the largest single-day adoption event in L.A. and features discounted adoption fees.

Each year, Found Animals hosts a multi-shelter adoption event in the spring and winter.

Last year’s winter adoption event, Happy Pawlidays, was greatly successful with 439 animals finding homes in a single day. This year, the goal is to get at least 500 pets adopted in 7 hours, according to Found Animals.

Shelters will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday with Found Animals volunteers on hand to help match pets with potential owners.

They will also distribute new pet owner guides to make the transition smoother for the pets and their new families. Whisker Wonderland adoption fees range from $40-$125 and include spaying or neutering, microchipping and all necessary vaccinations.

Puppy

Several locations such as Lakewood’s Adopt & Shop retail store and the Cat Adoption Center will be offering the 2 For You! Cat Adoption Special enabling potential owners to adopt two cats for the price of one. All shelters will be distributing gift bags filled with goodies to adopters, as well as pet beds to all visitors.

When considering giving a pet as a gift, it is ideal that future owners take part in the decision-making process to ensure that they are ready and willing to care for a pet. It is also important that the new pet’s needs fit with the owner’s lifestyle.

Cats and dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds are available across L.A. shelters, as well as rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens and other animals.

Many people are unaware that L.A. is one of the largest destinations of puppy mill dogs in America. Due to the common misconception that shelter animals don’t make good pets, these facilities are consistently overcrowded and underfunded.

As a result, many centers are forced to put down animals simply for the lack of space. About 50 percent of these healthy pets are euthanized due to this false stereotype.

“There are so many dogs and cats in Los Angeles shelters looking for a warm home this holiday season,” said Found Animals’ Executive Director, Aimee Gilbreath. “In this time of goodwill and cheer, we want to encourage anyone looking for a pet companion to head out to Whisker Wonderland, meet these loving pets, and adopt!”

To learn more about the Found Animals Whisker Wonderland adoption event and to find a shelter near you, visit www.foundanimals.org. Below is a list of participating shelters:

Whisker Wonderland Locations

For more statistics, visit Found Animals. Some photos from the SEAACA location in Downey, CA:

All photos by Tanaya Ghosh / Neon Tommy

Bulldog

Lab

Puppy

Cat with long whiskers

Whisker Wonderland Freebies Display

Cat

(Photography by Tanaya Ghosh / Neon Tommy)

You can reach reporter Tanaya Ghosh here or follow her on Twitter.