Columbia Second Chance and the Central Missouri Humane Society are hosting adoption events during this holiday season.

The events have been successful, Second Chance Executive Director Valerie Chaffin said. Chaffin said she sees an increase in pet adoptions during the holidays.



There is a fee associated with adopting an animal, but during December, the shelters are willing to make a deal. 

For this holiday season, both shelters will let customers name their price when adopting a cat. During the holidays, dogs from the Humane Society cost $100 and puppies cost $120, Humane Society Shelter Relations Coordinator Colin Lavaute said.



Cats are harder to place, Chaffin said.



Usually, cat adoptions cost $75 at the Humane Society. Chaffin said dogs cost $125 at Second Chance.

Adoption fees help to cover costs associated with adoption, such as getting pets spayed or neutered, Chaffin said.

 During the week after Thanksgiving, the Humane Society had a Whisker Wonderland special where all animals more than six months old cost $30, according to its Facebook page. Thirty-eight animals were adopted that weekend.

Overall, more dogs found homes than cats.

“The sheer volume of cats makes it harder to get them adopted,” Chaffin said in an email.



Second Chance has been running a holiday campaign called, “A Second Chance for Sweet Dreams,” according to a flier. As part of this campaign, the shelter has hosted adoption events at Petco on Saturdays and at Petsmart on Sundays. Also, they have been taking pet pictures with Santa at the Columbia Mall. Each of these events is volunteer-run.

Chaffin said there is a large need for volunteers.

The Humane Society will be taking pet pictures with Santa at Petsmart this weekend as well.

While both shelters see an increase in adoptions, Chaffin said she also sees an increase in relinquishments. She said she thinks the increase is due to people giving up their pets because they move from Columbia at the end of the semester and the tightening of budgets during the holiday season.

The increase in adoptions is most likely because people are giving pets as presents. However, Chiffin said that might not be the best idea.



“It should be a family decision,” she said.

She said she wants the opportunity to guide prospective owners through the process.

Although December is a busy month for Second Chance, Chaffin said she looks at it as just another month because adoptions are ongoing throughout the year and animals always need homes.