A home for Christmas

Published 9:59 pm Thursday, December 5, 2013

In the hope of finding homes over the holidays for as many pets that don’t have one as possible, a Suffolk car dealership is offering partial reimbursement on adoption fees through Dec. 31.

Mike Duman Auto Sales will donate $25 toward the adoption cost of up to 100 animals from Suffolk Animal Care Center, the Suffolk Humane Society says.

“We have adopted wonderful pets from Suffolk Animal Care Center, and they mean the world to me and my family,” dealership owner and Suffolk Humane board member Mike Duman said in a statement.

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“I hope others who are considering adopting will take advantage of this special offer, give a pet a forever home for the holidays, and give themselves the gift of a loving pet.”

Website www.suffolkhumanesociety.com lists 45 cats and dogs currently available for adoption at the city facility, all of which would love to find new homes before Christmas.

There’s “Buster” the 2-year-old male lemon-and-white hound, for instance, described as “very sweet and affectionate” but “a little timid at first,” and Dustin, an adorable 1-year-old male orange tabby, a “super-friendly cat (that) loves to be held and rubbed.”

The site lists eight additional pets currently in foster care, also eager to find new families to care for them on a permanent basis.

Factoring in Duman’s reimbursement offer, cats can be adopted for $50 and dogs for $70. Regular adoption fees are $75 and $95, respectively, which includes spaying or neutering as well as some shots.

After paying the full cost, folks can bring adoption papers and a receipt to Duman’s Suffolk dealership at 2300 Godwin Blvd. to receive a $25 check.

For more information on the adoption discount, call Mike Duman Auto Sales at 1-888-239-2076 or 539-1000, or visit www.mikeduman.com.

Suffolk Humane will also seek to find homes for pets for Christmas with two “adopt-a-thon” events during December.

The first event will be held Saturday at Suffolk Animal Care Center, 124 Forest Glen Drive, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The second event, on Dec. 14, also from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., will take place at two separate PetSmart locations: PetSmart Chesapeake Square, 4300 Portsmouth Blvd., Chesapeake, and the North Suffolk PetSmart at 6234 College Drive.

“There are always many more wonderful pets than there are homes,” said Kay Hurley, Suffolk Humane’s director of community outreach. “We are hoping that people will open their homes these holidays for a new best friend. There is a wonderful collection at Suffolk Animal Care Center.”