Shoppers Greeted by Life Sized Cutouts of Adoptable Pets

For Immediate Release

Contact:
Mary Leavens
Humane Society of Harford County
410-836-1090, x101
mleavens@harfordshelter.org

Grace Kalma
Boscov’s White Marsh
410.931.2005, x1202
gkalma@boscovs.com

Fallston, MD (July 15, 2014) – The Humane Society of Harford County (HSHC) is full of wonderful furry friends just waiting for someone to love them. But unless you’re thinking of adopting, all those great pets probably aren’t given much consideration. So what better way to advertise an adoptable pet than a place you might go to buy the things you need to make your house a home: Boscov’s.

Boscov’s at White Marsh Mall has teamed up with The Humane Society of Harford County (HSHC) to promote the idea that no home is complete without a pet. Five life-size cardboard cutouts of dogs and four cutouts of cats will be placed throughout the Boscov’s department store in Maryland. Shoppers visiting Boscov’s will be able to envision what a new pet companion would look like hanging out in their homes – and will hopefully be inspired to adopt, or at least get involved to help homeless animals at HSHC in Fallston.

Each pet is outfitted with a collar and a sign that asks shoppers to consider adopting a pet, donating to help with their care, volunteering or fostering a needy animal. Each option on the sign is associated with a unique QR code which, when scanned with a smart phone, will lead store visitors to HSHC’s website to learn more about how to help homeless animals at the shelter.

Shoppers might come to Boscov’s looking for a new outfit, mattress, or a fragrance but will leave inspired to adopt a new best friend.

To kick off the promotion, actual dogs that are up for adoption at HSHC will visit Boscov’s on Friday, July 25th from 10am until noon with hopes to find forever homes.

Grace Kalma, Public Relations Regional Manager at Boscov’s said the department store is pleased to help promote animal adoptions because Boscov’s believes in giving back to the community. “Year-round, Boscov’s is actively and intimately involved with the non-profit organizations in each of our local communities,” Kalma said. “It’s important to us to directly help all of our neighbors; both two-and four-legged.”

“We’re hoping to reach a new audience of people who might already be considering adopting a pet or who may not know how close we are to the White Marsh area,” said Mary Leavens, executive director of HSHC. “Even if shoppers don’t come to adopt, this partnership is still a success because it raises awareness about the many wonderful animals waiting for forever homes at our shelter and the opportunities that exist to help those animals.”

To learn more about the animals available for adoption at HSHC, including not only dogs and cats, but also small animals and farm animals, click here.

About The Humane Society of Harford County
The Humane Society of Harford County, Inc., (HSHC) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to the welfare and well-being of the approximately 4,500 animals that come to us each year. We promote the kind treatment of homeless, stray and abandoned animals by providing shelter, care, adoptions, and community education. HSHC also owns and operates Rescue Me! at Harford Mall, the region’s first deluxe cat adoption center and boutique located in a shopping mall. We are not a county agency nor are we affiliated with any national or regional organization. Your tax-deductible donations, bequests, and proceeds from events are crucial to our life-saving efforts on behalf of the animals of our community.

About Boscov’s
Boscov’s with 43 stores in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Ohio, has been providing customers with a wide selection of merchandise, competitive prices and superior service for nearly 100 years. The company is committed to the communities it serves and has a long and distinguished history of civic and charitable activities. Boscov’s serves consumers across the county with a strong online shopping capability at www.boscovs.com, reinforcing Boscov’s position as the largest family owned independent department store chain in the nation.