Thanksgiving just got a million times cuter because now you can host a shelter dog for the holiday

All you have to do is pick up the pooch.

November 20, 2018

12:24 PM

Courtesy of Gateway Pet Guardians

Wouldn't you like to host Rydia for the holidays?

Thanksgiving with the family can be rough, whether it's because you have differing political ideologies, or maybe a nosy aunt who wants to know when you're going to get a real job/get married/have a baby. Wouldn't it be great to have an ally at the dinner table this year? Wouldn't it be super great if that ally was a really cute adoptable dog?

The nonprofit animal shelter Gateway Pet Guardians is asking St. Louisans to help them clear their kennels by hosting a dog up for adoption at their homes this holiday. Inspired by the shelter's slumber pawties (their clever turn of phrase), the Thanksgiving program will allow the dogs a little break from life at the shelter and give shelter employees important intel on how the dogs behave outside of the shelter setting. On Tuesday, the shelter still had seven dogs who needed spots at some generous St. Louisans' dinner tables.

Gateway Pet Guardians will give you supplies—including food and any necessary medication—as well as a crate. All you have to do is pick up a pooch between 1 and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, and return him or her between 7 and 9 a.m. or 1 and 7 p.m. on Friday. Or you could keep the doggie for the weekend. Or ... forever. “A lot of the times, the pets never have to come back to the shelter, which is an added bonus,” said program director Jill Henke in a release. (And if you do decide to adopt the dog, Gateway Pet Guardians will spot you the adoption fee.)

On Friday, the animal shelter is running a discounted adoption fee special—dogs can be adopted for $99, and cats for $39. All animals adopted are spayed or neutered; microchipped; and vaccinated.

Email foster@gatewaypets.com to find out more, and if you do take home a dog for the holiday, remember that pumpkin pie is not pup-approved. And now, cute photos of adoptable dogs:

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