Animal Blog

Animal Blog

The Annual SPCA of Monterey County's Pet Telethon Commences

The SPCA of Monterey County’s Eleventh Annual Pet Telethon will air live from their Salinas shelter this Saturday on KION-TV 46.

This year’s event is rumored to feature scores of adorable, adoptable pets, fabulous prizes, and even appearances by a number of local and international celebrities, including Betty White, Clint and Dena Eastwood, Congressman Sam Farr, and Indy 500 winner Danny Sullivan, to name a few. Ginger, one of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick’s dog fighting kennels, will be also be shown with her former foster—and newly adoptive—family.

The shelter will remain open long after the four hour telethon has concluded, with the hope that one or more of the available pets captured on film will have melted the hearts of local residents, who may feel inspired to adopt their new furry family members that very night. Community Outreach Director, Beth Brookhouser, estimates that an average of nearly 100 pets find their forever homes during the telethon each year!

The telethon will also feature informational material on various SPCA programs offered to the public year-round, such as Take the Lead, which pairs untrained shelter dogs with at-risk and incarcerated youth.

“For many, it’s the first time they’ve experienced trust and unconditional love,” relates Brookhouser.

The organization’s Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center will also be highlighted, since much of the public remains under the impression that companion animals are the organization’s sole focus. On the contrary, the Monterey SPCA’s wildlife program is the only one of its kind on the peninsula, and aids up to 2,000 injured or stranded animals each year, from bobcats to turtles to swallows. The facility can accommodate all local species with the exception of marine life.

Last year’s telethon raised more than $150,000 and volunteers are hoping to surpass that amount this year. If you’re in need of a little incentive, four fantastic prizes, including an Escape to Spanish Bay grand prize, will be offered in the form of a raffle each hour to donors of $100 or more.

The SPCA of Monterey County is a completely independent nonprofit and is unaffiliated with any other organizations under the title of SPCA. This four hour event is a chance for locals to directly benefit the pets and wildlife in their community, since all funds donated stay within the county and contribute directly to the shelter.