Old Town Alexandria Businesses Host Kitten Scavanger Hunt to Save Lives

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - July 20, 2023 - PRLog -- It may be the Dog Days of summertime but Old Town Alexandria businesses are all about helping folks find their purrrfect new family member. On Saturday, July 22 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET, a kitten scavenger hunt will commence at The Dog Park, 705 King St. Alexandria, VA.

Anyone looking to add a kitten or two to their family and have an extra good time doing so can participate in this family-friendly event. Participants report to The Dog Park, where they will receive clues on how and where to find adoptable kittens, located in various businesses throughout Old Town. Those who visit all locations will be entered to win prizes.

"It's always very tough in the summer for rescues and shelters to find enough homes for all the cats and kittens we have taken in. So we wanted to do something unique and fun with our business partners so that folks can get out of the heat, have some fun and hopefully adopt a kitten or two," says Kelsey Moncrief, Homeward Trails Cat Program Director.

Each year, Homeward Trails Animal Rescue rescues almost 1,000 cats and kittens. It also provides free and subsidized spay and neuter and Trap-Neuter-Return for cats in Virginia's most under-resourced communities through its Trails UP program.

"To date since the creation of our Trails UP program we have provided free spay/neuter for more than 1,000 cats in just over two years," explains Sue Bell, Homeward Trails founder and executive director. "For so long we acted as a rescue only, taking unwanted cats and kittens from these communities and finding them homes in the D.C. area, but we were not doing anything to address the root of the problem. Our Trails UP program is providing on-the-ground programs and services in communities where affordable veterinary care and spay/neuter is not available. And we are starting to see a lasting and positive impact from our work there."

To date this year, Homeward Trails has taken in 350 cats.

"The state of animal welfare is really tough currently and all shelters and rescues are full and seeing slower adoptions, so we really hope folks will come out and give some of our kittens the homes they deserve," says Moncrief.

Some of the local businesses lending support and prizes include: The Dog Park, Crumbs & Whiskers, Turkish Coffee Lady, La Madeleine, Ten Thousand Villages, Taverna Cretekou and Jeni's Ice Cream.

For event details go to:  https://www.homewardtrails.org/event/kitten-scavenger-hunt/