We Want You … To Adopt Today!

Thanks in part to the mild winter, local animal shelters are nearly bursting at the seams with kittens. That means there are plenty of adoption specials running through the July 4 holiday (and beyond!) for folks looking to meet the furry companion of their dreams. Below, a roundup of adoption specials and tips for keeping your pets safe over the holiday.

First up, the Austin Humane Society is in the midst of it's 107-Degrees of Love special, a push to adopt out 107 kittens and cats in a week. That means, for the duration of the special – through the end of the day on Sunday, July 1 – all cats and kittens will be free to loving homes. On top of that, the AHS is running it's free love special – the "Summer of Love" event – through Labor Day to anyone ready to adopt an adult cat – or two!

Meanwhile, the shelter is also gearing up for a mega event on Saturday, July 7, a literal free-fur-all. Says AHS spokesman Kelly Hanes, "you point at the animal, pick it up, fall in love, and it's yours." Indeed, for one day all animals in the shelter will be adoptable for free.

All AHS adoptions include free spay/neuter surgery, up-to-date vaccinations and microchipping.

See the kitties ready for forever homes here. Check out the pups here.

Up in Williamson County, more than 200 cats, kittens and dogs are ready for adoption, so the Humane Society of Williamson County has got a deal for you: From July 1 through July 7, all adoption fees will be waived. All adoptable animals are spay/neutered, up-to-date on vaccinations, microchipped, and come with pet health insurance free for 30 days. As the Wilco HS says, "Be a hero … Adopt!"

As if that weren't enough to get you in the pet pettin' mood, the Austin Animal Center this weekend will host its fifth Kittypalooza event Saturday, June 30, through Sunday, July 1 at the new shelter on Levander Loop. Center hours will be extended, from 9am to 9pm both days during which adoption fees for all shelter cats and kittens will be waived.

To sweeten the pot, the first 200 adoptions will come with "an amazing goodie bag full of supplies your new cat(s) will enjoy," a deal sponsored in part by the Friends of the Austin Animal Center, according to a city press release.

Check out some of the amazing – err – acts that will be featured at the annual event, joining old favs like Simon & Purrbunkle and the Steve Litter Band, on the Kittypalooza Facebook page, here.

Now, courtesy of the AHS, a few final words about keeping pets safe over the July 4 holiday – often a stressful time for pets, what with all those rockets and their red glare exploding in air – starting with the obvious: NEVER use fireworks around pets and don't take your pets to see a fireworks display – they hate that. Find additional pet safety tips here.