PAWS Chicago has teamed up with IKEA to display life-sized cardboard cutouts of adoptable animals in its Illinois stores — an effort to help pets find their forever homes this holiday season.
As part of the "Don't Forget About Me" campaign, approximately one dozen cutouts of cats and dogs are on display at both Bolingbrook and Schaumburg locations through Christmas Eve.
The cutouts feature a QR code that shoppers can scan to learn more about the animals who need extra help finding a home for the holidays, according to PAWS Chicago, the Midwest's largest No Kill animal shelter.
Thousands of dogs and cats have found owners through the shelter's virtual adoption process, which was put into place as a result of the pandemic. However, officials said, many adult animals have been passed over for puppies or kittens.
"We have so many wonderful dogs are cats who are patiently waiting for a home to call their own,” Paula Fasseas, PAWS Chicago founder and chair, said in a news release. “Some have special needs that require a particular adopter to allow them to blossom, but they all have a chance to become someone’s best friend. We are grateful to IKEA for lending an extra hand in helping these deserving pets find a family to love.”
The campaign was first launched at IKEA stores in Arizona and Singapore in 2014.
