Looking into the eyes of a tiny, timid kitten with green eyes is sometimes all it takes to know this is the pet you want to make family.
For Ayra Malik, that was the case.
“I woke up last week and I wanted a kitten,” Malik said. “And so I got a kitten.”
After being tagged a week ago on Facebook in an ad for the National Adoption Weekend hosted by PetSmart, she anxiously awaited this day.
The 22-year-old’s two brothers each have their own cat but Malik wanted one to call her own. Today, that came true.
Ayra, Yousuf and Sheryar Malik adopted their new kitten from PetSmart. The siblings were just some of the people who left with a new pet at the last National Adoption Weekend for the year. (Varsha Ramdihol/Toronto Observer)
For people hoping to adopt, the weekend was their chance to add a new family member.
PetSmart hosts four national adoption weekends throughout the year, the most popular two being in the summer, Jon Sammons said.
As manager of the Leaside PetSmart location at Eglinton Avenue East and Laird Drive, Sammons hopes to find these furry friends a “forever home,” he said. “Part of our philosophy is that we want to be the trusted partner for pets and the pets’ parents.”
On site this weekend were the Toronto Animal Services and the Toronto Cat Rescue.
People had the choice of adopting a cat, dog, or bunny at this one stop.
Shannon MacDonald, animal care and control officer for the Toronto Animal Services, also hopes each animal finds a family.
“The most memorable moment was watching a little dog go home to a new family with three lovely girls,” MacDonald said.
While you may be planning your holiday travels, thousands of animals are travelling to find you at any of the 135 locations across Canada, according to PetSmart’s release.
“It’s a great feeling finding these pets homes,” Sammons said. “This event is always a hit.”