For immediate release
Contact: Gina Stiles, 904-757-4463, ext. 210

MEET YOUR BEST FRIEND AT THE ZOO
JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

November 27, 2006– Jacksonville, FL –   Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is hosting its first-ever pet adoption event, “A Home for the Holidays”, this Saturday and Sunday, December 2 and 3, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. First Coast No More Homeless Pets and the Partnership for Animal Welfare & Safety (P.A.W.S.) are partnering with the Zoo on this event, which is sponsored by Clearwire. There are a total of 12 participating agencies from all over Northeast Florida that will bring a wide variety of cats and dogs -- all in need of a good, loving home. The event will be held in the back of the main parking lot area at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.  There is no fee to come to the event; however, each agency will charge its normal fee for adoption which includes all mandatory vaccinations.

“We are proud to support this worthwhile effort to find loving homes for pets just in time for the holidays,” remarked Dennis Pate, executive director of the Zoo.  “It is consistent with the zoo’s goal to promote domestic dogs and cats as preferred pets over exotics and strengthens our ties to sister organizations that care about animal welfare.

The event will include drawings for prizes, holiday music, and a free child’s ticket to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens for each person who adopts a pet.

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment.  Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house approximately 1,500 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species.  The Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  Located on Jacksonville’s north side two miles off I-95, the Zoo is open year-round, 7 days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org.

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