72 kittens adopted at drive-through event

Kitten drive-through adoption event in Los Angeles was a smashing success.

By Megan Smith

October 12, 2020

How cool would it be if you could pull into a drive-through and adopt a kitten? Pretty sweet, right? That’s just what the team at Best Friends in Los Angeles thought when deciding to host a drive-through kitten adoption event in the parking lot of the Best Friends Lifesaving Center.

Here’s how it worked: Potential adopters pulled up in their cars to check out adoptable kittens. After choosing one to adopt, they moved to a reserved parking spot, filled out paperwork and then talked to an adoption specialist via telephone to make sure it was the right fit. Once the adoption was official, the kittens were hand-delivered to the adopter in a carrier. The team even set up a one-stop shop where adopters could purchase kitten care starter kits and save a trip to the store.

And how’s this for success? In just two days (and six hours to be exact), 72 kittens went from homeless to having homes. But here’s the thing: Kitten drive-throughs aren’t just creative (and really, really cute). They’re also lifesaving, because every year during the warmer months, large numbers of kittens are brought to shelters — more than most can care for. And with their yet-to-be-developed immune systems, young kittens in a shelter are not in the best place for their overall well-being.

What is kitten season?

That’s why kittens are some of the most at-risk animals in shelters today and why kitten drive-throughs and other creative adoption events are essential.

So, you never know: Maybe someday you too will be able to adopt a kitten in your city without even having to get out of your car. In the meantime, why not put on a mask and adopt one from your local shelter? Just call it kitten carry-out.

Row of wire kennels holding kittens ready for adoption at the drive-through event with some masked people looking at them