Shelter Hope Pet Shop Celebrating with Bunnies at Janss Marketplace Mall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) November 30, 2011 -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Kim Sill 310-770-3571
Email: kimsill123@gmail.com

Shelter Hope Pet Shop Celebrating with Bunnies at Janss Marketplace Mall
Thousand Oaks, CA (November 30, 2011) – Shelter Hope Pet Shop Thousand Oaks is excited to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the “Bunny Brigade”, a Ventura County Animal Services shelter volunteer group dedicated to helping save shelter rabbits.

Shelter Hope Pet Shop will celebrate the group’s anniversary on Saturday December 3rd with festivities beginning at 3:00PM, including an autograph session with Playboy Playmate Devin Devasquez. Devin, an advocate for the animals said, "After spending time with the bunnies at the Ventura county shelter, I am happy to see them in a mall where they have increased chances of finding a loving home."

The “Bunny Brigade” will have adoptable rabbits from the Ventura County Animal Shelter of Camarillo on site, available for adoption at the new pet shop, located inside Janss Marketplace Mall, 275 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks, California.

The Shelter Hope Pet Shop showcases shelter animals available for adoption, utilizing a busy retail mall environment. Bark Avenue Foundation and Ventura County Animal Services, with the help of NewMark Merrill, teamed up to provide this new model pet shop to help find homes for these highly adoptable animals. Kim Sill, Board Member of Bark Avenue Foundation, acknowledged, “Without the support of the community, none of this would be happening… It is nice to witness the most underserved animal at the shelters get a chance for life.”

Kim Jones and Kimberly Jacinto are the two women who run the Bunny Brigade, a program Jones started at the Ventura County Animal Services shelter in Camarillo two years ago. Near the end of 2009, Jones visited the Camarillo shelter and decided to launch a bunny-centric program. The Bunny Brigade begun in December 2009, with a group of volunteers devoted to caring for the shelter’s rabbit population and encouraging their safe adoption.

“Bunnies are the pet you didn’t know you always wanted,” Jacinto remarked, “Rabbits are kind of a combination of a cat and a dog ...they can even be litter box-trained." "We hope people will think more about rabbits, not just as disposable pets you buy at Easter.” said Jacinto.

Ventura County Animal Services Director Monica Nolan was happy to have Jones start the program. Bunny Brigade volunteers provide what Nolan calls “enrichment,” which means social stimulation, toys, and lots of time in a pair of arms. “The benefits of that are evident...." states Nolan.

Adoption prices are the same as adopting directly from the shelter. The available bunnies come litter box trained, and the adoption packet includes a $25 gift certificate towards spay or neuter and phone numbers for counselors who will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help members of the public with any questions they have regarding their new adopted bunny!

Shelter Hope Pet Shop is located in a donated mall space, compliments of NewMark Merrill. “We were happy to donate the space for such a great cause,” stated Heather Danko, Marketing Director for New Mark Merrill. “The store was vacant and it gave us the opportunity to give back to our community and benefit animals at the same time.” The Shelter Hope Pet Shop is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am – 7:00 pm. For more information, visit www.shelterhopepetshop.org
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