ASPCA, Google and Yahoo Team Up for First-Ever Google+ Hangout Adoption Event Celebrating National Pet Day

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is teaming up with Google and Yahoo for the first-ever Google+ Hangout adoption event celebrating National Pet Day. The event, hosted on the ASPCA’s Google+ page by Yahoo’s Liz Harris and ASPCA Adoption Center Senior Director Arthur Hazlewood, will introduce participants to adoptable dogs and cats from shelters across the country and show how pet adoption saves lives. 

The event will also feature special guest appearances from Lil BUB, Tuna Melts My Heart, Jackson Galaxy, Justin the Fire Survivor Kitten, Laura Moss from Mother Nature Network, representatives from Barkbox, and Randall, the voice of the Honey Badger. The Hangout will air from 1-4 p.m. ET on the ASPCA’s Google+ page. BarkBox representatives will also be giving away a free BarkBox to anyone who adopts a pet as a result of the Hangout. 

Through a special Google adoption app displayed on the Hangout page, viewers can view adoptable animals in several cities and be directed straight to an animal’s adoption page on its shelter’s website. The event can also be viewed on Yahoo.

“The Internet and social media have been game-changers in the effort to help pets find homes, and as technology advances so too do our opportunities,” said ASPCA President & CEO Matt Bershadker. “We’re excited to work with Google and Yahoo to bring more attention to the plight of millions of homeless animals, and to encourage people to view local shelters as the first and best option for finding pets.”

"We're happy that Hangouts are being leveraged for such an important cause, providing a way for people to meet prospective pets face to face and give them a loving home,” said Ramya Raghavan, Head of Politics and Causes at Google+.

Shelters participating in the Hangout include: The ASPCA Adoption Center (New York, N.Y.), St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center (Madison, N.J.), Washington Humane Society (Washington, D.C.), Charleston Animal Society (Charleston, S.C.), Humane Society of Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Austin Humane Society (Austin, Texas), San Francisco SPCA (San Francisco, Calif.) and County of Los Angeles Animal Care (Los Angeles, Calif.).