North Bergen Purr: Kia Pet Adoption Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
The Kia Pet Adoption Grant gave us the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on some of our long-term kitties who had been constantly overlooked. By offering discounted adoption fees through the grant, we were able to promote these cats in a fresh, attention-grabbing way. Lower fees made potential adopters take a second look at cats they might have otherwise scrolled past, and it gave us a great hook for social-media posts, flyers, and adoption-event promotions. This extra boost in visibility, combined with the sense of urgency that comes with a limited-time discount, helped us reintroduce these deserving cats to the public and remind everyone why they’d make wonderful companions.
How many pets did this grant help?
10
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Thanks to the Kia Pet Adoption Grant, we were able to market Mowgli — a sweet, solid-black cat with no distinguishing markings — at a discounted adoption rate. Cats like Mowgli often face extra challenges finding homes, as solid-black cats without unique features are sometimes overlooked in favor of flashier colors or patterns.
Mowgli’s journey to us wasn’t an easy one. He came from a hoarding situation involving more than 40 shy yet friendly black cats, all in need of patient homes. While he had a loving temperament, he didn’t naturally stand out in photos, making it harder for him to catch the attention of adopters.
At one of our adoption events, a couple came in looking for a kitten to keep their skittish 8-year-old cat company. We pulled out our “cat book” and went through all of our adoptables, explaining why we felt a calm, adult cat would be a better match for their resident cat’s personality. We also let them know that, thanks to the grant, some of our adoptables — including Mowgli — had discounted adoption fees.
They agreed to meet Mowgli, and it was love at first sight. After a gentle, quiet meet-and-greet, they knew he was the one. Mowgli went to his new home, proving that with the right promotion and a little extra visibility, even the most overlooked cats can find their perfect match.
