PetSmart Charities® of Canada Celebrates Milestone, 100,000th Adoption

“Calli” the kitten is the 100,000th pet saved at PetSmart Charities of Canada Adoption Center

Calli – from Rescued Kitten to Celebrity

When Calli, a calico-mix kitten, received the honor of representing the 100,000th pet adoption in a PetSmart Charities of Canada Adoption Center, she became an instant celebrity. Stories about her appeared on the internet and in the local newspaper, and pet lovers in Canada read about Calli and PetSmart Charities successful pet adoption efforts in Canada.

Where Did Calli Come From?

Calli was one of a litter of three orphaned kittens dropped off at a very large local shelter in Barrie, Ontario. Unfortunately, at that time, the shelter was struggling with too many pets and not enough adopters. That’s when Street Cats Animal Rescue, a nonprofit, all-volunteer animal-welfare organization in Ontario, stepped in and accepted the three tiny kittens into their agency.

What Adoption Partner of PetSmart Charities Facilitated Calli’s Adoption?

In June of 2009, Petsmart Charities approved Street Cats Animal Rescue as a new Adoption Partner, so now the agency showcases its adoptable cats at the PetSmart Charities Adoption Center located in the PetSmart® store in Barrie, Ontario. This in-store exposure accelerates the adoption of homeless pets who are seen by many customers in the store. Calli was one of the adoptable kittens in the Adoption Center display window that lucky day that the Wiggins family stopped by.

Calli’s Adoption Process

Summer Benoit was the volunteer who facilitated Calli’s adoption to the Wiggins. She tells the story of the adoption: “Mr. and Mrs. Wiggins and some family members came into Petsmart® to have their dog groomed. They stopped by the Adoption Center and immediately gravitated toward Calli and soon began to discuss the possibilities of adopting her.”

At first, Vivian Wiggins had some doubts. How would their other pets, especially their lively boxer-terrier mix, feel about having a new kitten in the house? Were they ready to adopt again after just having lost Sasha, their beloved 17-year-old cat?

“Since the whole family was not initially in agreement about the adoption, I was glad they decided to think about it further and not rush into a spur of the moment decision,” said Summer.

“Later that day, Vivian Wiggins and her daughter Kara came back to the PetSmart Charities of CanadaAdoption Center and it was obvious that this tiny kitten had touched something in their hearts,” said Summer. “After further conversation about their existing pets’ reactions to a new kitten, and phone calls home to get approval from the entire family, the family decided to adopt Calli.”

After Summer reviewed the agency’s spay/neuter voucher program, some guidelines for introducing a new kitten into the home and some general kitten- care information with Vivian and Kara, Calli was ready to go home. What no one realized at that time was that this kitten would soon be a celebrity in her own right, representing the 100,000th pet adopted in a PetSmart Charities of Canada Adoption Center.

View Post-Adoption Story About Calli's New Life

View Press Release About the 100,000th-Adoption Milestone for PetSmart Charities of Charities

To learn more about PetSmart Charities Adoption Program or to find out how to become an Adoption Partner, visit www.petsmartcharities.org/programs/adoption.php.