SEEKING PROSPECTIVE PUPPY ADOPTERS

The first-ever nonprofit holiday Pop-Up store at Howell Plaza Shopping Center is actually a Puppy Pop-Up! Situated on the heart of Route 9 at Aldrich Road, the shopping center’s management team sought a creative way to give back to the community by seeking a worthy nonprofit that could utilize available holiday retail space to further its mission. With an abundance of rescue puppies needing loving adoptive caregivers, Home Free Animal Rescue was selected and opened its new doors on Saturday, November 29th.

“In the spirit of the holiday season, we are hopeful that this pop-up shop brings additional cheer to our neighbors with the adoption of a pet, while helping to elevate the visibility of this worthwhile nonprofit,” explains Howell Plaza Shopping Center developer Leonard Solondz. “We were particularly impressed that Home Free Animal Rescue makes the adoption process easy, affordable and fun.”

The Redbank, N.J., not-for-profit organization with its team of over 230 volunteer “elves” transformed the empty Howell Plaza storefront into an animal-friendly setting with 4- to 8-week-old puppies angling for adoption. The welcoming and enticing shop features a cozy seating area where prospective adopters can meet and play with the puppies. For the benefits of adopters and adoptees alike, each puppy will be kept by the nonprofit until it is at least eight-weeks old to ensure proper socialization, and each prospective adopter will be carefully screened. All puppies have been vaccinated, spayed or neutered and have a microchip locator.

According to Home Free Animal Rescue Founder and President Jen McFadden, “For puppies, this is a really hard time of the year. There are so many more than the number of prospective adopters visiting shelters. Sadly, many puppies are euthanized. Through this generous storefront opportunity, the puppies’ visibility is increased. We hope to get the word out to new audiences and that many of the wonderful families in the Howell area will come by and fall in love with a puppy that they want to take home!”

The Pup Pop-up will be opened 7 days a week at least through mid-January. The hours are M-Th 10am-6pm, F-Sat 10am-8 pm and Sun 10am-5 pm.

For more information about:

Home Free Animal Rescue, please visit www.homefreeanimalrescue.com

Howell Plaza Shopping Center, please visit http://howellplaza.com/