Pet Adoption: 25,000th Pet to Find a Home During "Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo"

The Michigan Humane Society will mark a major milestone on May 18-19 during Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo, presented by Purina. That is when one local family will browse among more than 30 organizations to adopt the event’s 25,000th pet.

Photo Credit: BoMo Photo

Shelters as far away as Battle Creek are bringing more than 600 cats, dogs, and rabbits to Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo. Visitors can meet these “best friends” for free in the Detroit Zoo’s parking lot from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday  and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Photo Credit: Gabi Vannini

“This event is truly unique because of its incredible size and impact,” said Matthew Pepper, president and CEO of MHS. “It is a celebration of how much our pets mean to us and a great opportunity to add a new member to your family through adoption. This event is an amazing example of the power of collaboration and compassion.”

Suburban Subaru of Troy will show its support for local animals at 1 p.m. on May 18 when it awards the proceeds of its Share the Love campaign. This seven-week promotion netted nearly $70,000 for the Michigan Humane Society and Detroit Zoo to split. Suburban Subaru raised this money last fall when it pledged $250 for every new-car purchase.

Photo Credit: BoMo Photos

The Michigan Humane Society first collaborated with the Detroit Zoo in 1993 to host Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo. That spring participants approved 90 adoptions. This time MHS hopes to beat last year’s spring total of 556 adoptions. However, the shelters need less than half that goal to reach 25,000.

Visit MichiganHumane.org/zoo to discover how you can Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo, or call 866-MHUMANE. Adoptions fees and policies vary among participating organizations. Personal pets are not permitted at the event and strollers are not permitted near adoptable animals.

About the Michigan Humane Society

The Michigan Humane Society, founded in 1877, is the oldest and largest nonprofit animal welfare organization in the state. Each year, MHS achieves 100 percent placement of more than 10,000 healthy and treatable animals through compassionate care, community engagement, and advocacy for humane treatment. The MHS operates three shelter and veterinary centers in Detroit, Rochester Hills, and Westland; five adoption partnerships with Premier Pet Supply, Petco, and PetSmart; and both a Cruelty Investigation Department and a Statewide Animal Response Team. Learn more at michiganhumane.org.