Pet adoptions discounted on national ugly Christmas sweater day

People who wear an “ugly” holiday sweater to Riverside County animal shelters and adoption events can adopt a dog for a discounted fee, an animal services spokesman said Friday.

Dog adoptions, regularly $105, are $20 for animal lovers wearing colorful sweaters through Dec. 24. The move comes on National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day.

The cat adoption fee is the same as usual, $15.

Those who bring donations of pet food, children’s clothing and toys valued at $10 or more for ongoing holiday drives the county’s shelters are participating in can adopt an animal for free, Riverside County Animal Services spokesman John Welsh said.

The county’s Thousand Palms facility is holding an adoption event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday at The River shopping center at Bob Hope Drive and Highway 111 in Rancho Mirage. New pet owners will get a free photo of their new furry friend, Welsh said.

The pet food, which must be unopened and can be wet or dry, will be distributed to needy pet owners by the Animal Solutions Konnection — ASK — Foundation.

The clothing and toys will be collected by the HOPE Collaborative for children in county foster homes.

Suggested toys and clothing items, along with all of the county’s shelter locations, are posted at www.rcdas.org.