Proof that pets are the best deal

Ah, Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving, when people wake up at an ungodly hour, fueled by leftover pumpkin pie and caffeine, and jostle strangers in search of discount TVs and socks. It’s a battleground of consumerism, but this year the real winners weren’t people lugging home flat-screen TVs, but the dogs and cats of Cincinnati Animal CARE. Because let’s face it, who needs a 4K TV when you can have a furry four-legged companion who will judge you for binge-watching everything Crown instead of going outside?

Cincinnati Animal CARE took a page from the retail manual and went full shipment adoption fees for pets over six months old will be reduced to 99 cents on Black Friday. Yes folks, less than a McChicken or your vending machine snack. Result? A hundred animals trotted, waddled or pranced out the doors to their new homes. Record day! But let’s give this remarkable feat the skepticism and side-eye it deserves, because honestly, how did we get here?

Pets for Pennies: The Black Friday Special Nobody Expected

For context, 99 cents is what most of us would expect to find in our couch cushions or accidentally left in a vending machine slot. But for Cincinnati Animal CARE, it was the magic number that convinced 100 people to adopt a pet in one day. It’s a great deal, but it begs the question: Were these people looking for a furry friend, or were they simply suckered into a deal too good to pass up?

Imagine someone walking into a shelter like it’s the best deal:

“Do you have this model in black?”
“Can I return him if he barks too much?”
“Is there a guarantee for this or…?”

No, Brenda, these are not toasters. These are intelligent creatures that will soon take over your home, your couch, and your Instagram feed. They may even need obligations worth more than 99 cents—like food, vet bills, and, heaven forbid, a couple of chew toys. Let’s hope that everyone who took home a dog or cat that day was not only caught up in the Black Friday madness, but also genuinely prepared for the long haul.

“Overcapacity” is an understatement

The real crux of this story is the sad truth that Cincinnati Animal CARE, like many other shelters, is bursting at the seams. Senior communications manager Lisa Colina summed it up diplomatically: “Our shelter is full.” Translation? The shelter is drowning in animals because people continue to abandon pets, as was fashionable last season.

And it’s not just Cincinnati. Shelters across the country are struggling with an influx of animals, especially after adoptions plummeted during the pandemic era as people realized working from home didn’t mean they were eligible to foster a Great Dane. Pets became another trend, like sourdough baking or Peloton memberships, that fizzled out when reality set in. CINcinnati Animal CARE’s record-breaking event is a small victory in a much larger battle to find homes for these abandoned animals.

Stars of the show: cats, dogs and… who else?

The article doesn’t elaborate, but we’re left wondering: Were those 100 adoptions evenly split between cats and dogs, or was one species dominant? Dog people and cat people probably already disagree on this point.

Dog Adopters probably infested the shelter because, let’s face it, dogs are the extroverts of the animal kingdom. They wag their tails, slobber with reckless abandon, and make you feel like a rock star just by coming home.
Cat adopters, on the other hand, they probably walked in, looked around the room with their best “meh” face, and casually pointed at the cat lounging in the corner, as if they were ordering a menu: “I’ll have this one.”

Anyway, let’s give a round of applause to the real MVPs of this event: the shelter staff and volunteers who somehow sorted out all these animals and found them new families. If you’ve ever tried to give a cat a bath or coax a scared dog into its crate, you know it’s no small feat. These people deserve medals, treatment and maybe a day at the spa.

Parenting: A Backup Plan for Those Afraid of Commitment

For those who weren’t ready to make the commitment, Cincinnati Animal CARE offered another option: foster care. It’s similar to dating, but instead of swiping left, you temporarily place a pet until it finds its forever home. This is a great option for people who want the fun of pets without the lifetime commitment, or for those who want to test a pet before making it official.

But education is not only about convenience for people; This is a life preserver for animals. This gives them a break from the often stressful environment of the shelter, a chance to relax and, in many cases, a better chance of being adopted. If parenting isn’t the unsung hero of this story, I don’t know what is.

Public Love: The Silver Lining

Despite all the vitriol, there’s something undeniably heartwarming about a community coming together to adopt 100 animals in one day. In a world that often feels like it’s descending into chaos, this event is proof that people still care, even if it costs 99 cents to get them in.

Lisa Colina, the shelter’s public relations manager, hit the nail on the head: “To see so many children adopted and the support of our community…means the world to us.” Cynicism aside, it’s hard not to feel a little uneasy about this.

What now? Consequences of Black Friday Adoption

Breaking records is great, but that’s only part of the story. Cincinnati Animal CARE still has “hundreds of dogs and cats,” meaning the shelter’s work is far from over. The success of Black Friday may have cleared out some nurseries, but this is a temporary reprieve. There are still many animals waiting their turn to find a home.

So what do you do if you missed out on the Black Friday madness? Here are some suggestions:

Adopt. Seriously, do it. The 99 cent deal may be off, but the love of a pet is priceless. And let’s be real: Most of us can forego an overpriced latte or subscription box to afford the adoption fee.
Nurture. Not ready to make a commitment? Either way, be a hero. Your temporary home can be the difference between a dog thriving or languishing in a shelter.
Donate. Shelters are always in need of supplies, money and volunteers. Even if you can’t take a pet home, you can make life a little better for those who are still waiting for one.

Final Thoughts: 99 Cents for a Best Friend

In the end, Cincinnati Animal CARE’s Black Friday adoption event was an undeniable win—for the animals, for the shelter, and for the 100 families who walked away with a new best friend. But let’s hope that anyone who has adopted a pet on a whim remembers this: a dog or cat is not just a purchase; it’s a commitment. These are not 99 cent trinkets that can be thrown away when the novelty wears off.

So, we thank those who did it for the right reasons. May your new furry friends fill your homes with love, your rugs with fur, and your Instagram feeds with likes. And to Cincinnati Animal CARE: kudos for turning the Black Friday madness into something that actually matters. Now, if only we could get that same energy into people shopping on Black Friday, maybe some of them could be adopted too.