Sacramento County, California – For shelter dogs without birth records, there are no candles waiting on a known date and no puppy photos marking the day they arrived. DOGust gives them something close—a shared birthday and a moment when their stories take center stage.
This August, Sacramento County residents can turn that symbolic celebration into something permanent. Bradshaw Animal Shelter is waiving adoption fees for all dogs through Aug. 23, opening the door for more animals to celebrate future birthdays in loving homes.
DOGust is observed nationally on Aug. 1 as the universal birthday for shelter dogs whose actual birth dates are unknown. Many animals enter shelters with little information about their early lives, making their ages estimates and their birthdays a mystery. The annual observance offers a simple way to recognize every one of them.
At Bradshaw Animal Shelter, the celebration extends for more than three weeks. From Aug. 1 through Aug. 23, visitors can adopt a dog without paying the standard adoption fee.
The shelter has dogs of different ages, sizes and personalities. Some may fit naturally into active households looking for a regular walking companion. Others may be better suited to families seeking a steady presence at home or someone hoping to share the couch with a relaxed new friend.
Every adopted dog leaves the shelter spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. Each animal is prepared to begin a new chapter with the person or family taking it home.
The impact of adoption also reaches beyond the dog walking out the door. When one kennel becomes available, the shelter gains room to care for another animal in need. That space helps Bradshaw Animal Shelter continue supporting pets from across Sacramento County.
Residents interested in adopting are encouraged to visit the shelter before the promotion ends on Aug. 23. Available dogs and additional adoption information can be viewed through the Bradshaw Animal Shelter website.
A shelter dog may not know the date it was born. It will know, however, the day someone stopped at its kennel, offered a hand and decided not to leave alone.
For one of Bradshaw’s dogs, that day could become the birthday that matters most—the beginning of life in a home of its own.