PetSmart says 'Happy Gotcha Day'

PetSmart is throwing a celebration at its stores that aims to appeal to pet owners and people who want to be pet owners.

For the first time, PetSmart will throw a “Happy Gotcha Day” celebration to help find homes for about 15,000 homeless pets during the next PetSmart Charities National Adoption Weekend, Sept. 11-13, when more than 1,400 PetSmart stores will host the event in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. The thousands of pets with unknown birthdays that are expected to be adopted will now have a day to call their own.

“For adopted pets, confirming a birthday is tough, so we wanted to call out to these new pet parents that special day – ‘Gotcha Day’ – to celebrate the moment they brought home their newest family member,” said Eran Cohen, executive vice president of customer experience, PetSmart, Inc.

Pet parents are invited to post photos of their newly adopted pets using #gotchaday and tag @PetSmart on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to share their news and to support this lifesaving event.

Adopters can also receive PetSmart’s free Adoption Starter Kit, offered every day at stores and featuring tips for caring for a new cat or dog, and a range of coupons valued at $400 in savings.

PetSmart partners with thousands of local shelters and animal welfare organizations, and supporting the pet food and supply needs of these partners is a top priority.

“When you adopt a pet, you save two lives – that of the pet you bring home and another who takes his or her place at the adoption event,” said Julie White, senior director of programs, PetSmart Charities, the nonprofit leader in pet adoptions and the largest funder of animal welfare in North America.

Shoppers can follow PetSmart Charities and PetSmart on Facebook throughout National Adoption Weekend at www.facebook.com/PetSmartCharities and www.facebook.com/PetSmart. Or on Twitter at @PetSmartChariTs and @PetSmart and on Instagram by following the hashtags #adoptlove and #gotchaday.