This article was featured in WYDaily on 5/27/22.

What do you get when you combine the horsepower of Williamsburg’s Kia and the woofs and purrs of the Heritage Humane Society? You get Williamsburg Kia’s Furry Friends Friday!

Studies have long shown that looking at pictures of cute pets can instantly lift moods and increase concentration. Furry Friends Friday takes it to a whole new level with Facebook Live for the local community of social media followers.

Every Friday at 11 a.m., tune in to the 92.3 The Tide Facebook page (@HandpickedMusic) or see it shared on the Heritage Humane Society Facebook page (@HHSWilliamsburg).

Viewers are charmed with wagging tails, happy eyes and the hopes of connecting with their FURever family among viewers.

Interested viewers can easily line up an appointment to visit the adoptable, homeless pets at the Heritage Humane Society.

Finding FURever homes

Since September 2020, more than 115 adoptable pets have been featured on the popular Facebook Live segment. Kittens, puppies, dogs, cats, and even guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets and rabbits have made their social media debuts through this popular segment.

Williamsburg Kia’s Furry Friends Friday connects interested viewers who can easily line up an appointment to visit the adoptable, homeless pets at the Heritage Humane Society.

The idea is the brainchild of Ashlee Jones, marketing consultant for Local Daily Media, the parent company of WYDaily.com, 92.3 The Tide, and more. The animal lover has a long history of helping shelters and helping people connect with pets that provide unconditional love.

“Helping to create this feature began out of shear love and passion for wanting every area homeless pet to find their forever home,” shares Ashlee Jones. “Furry Friends Friday helps raise awareness by showing the beauty and love these animals want to give someone and it provides an outlet for some of Greater Williamsburg’s most generous pet-loving businesses who are sponsors.”

Viewers see the pet or pets of each week’s segment in an environment that spotlights their personalities beyond the kennels. They witness interactions, learn about their dispositions, and find that the furry star might just be what’s missing in their lives.

Sponsorship fun

In addition to Williamsburg Kia’s title sponsorship, sponsors include Three Cabanas, Shoe Attic, and Five Forks Animal Clinic. Furry Friends Friday is filmed both on location and sometimes at the Heritage Humane Society.

“As a corporation, we were looking for a unique way to support the community and this opportunity stood out to us,” says Keith Hassan, general manager of Williamsburg Kia. “Everyone at Williamsburg Kia agreed that finding forever homes for homeless pets was a win for all, and something we would love to make happen here in our community through the Heritage Humane Society.”

Beyond sponsoring a weekly segment, some participating businesses are making it even easier for adoptions to take place. When the segment is filmed at Williamsburg Kia, they even sponsor the adoption fees for the dogs. Since joining the program, they’ve covered the adoptions of 15 dogs for a total of $2,700. The most recent Furry Friends Friday alums were pup buddies, Jasper and Stevie. They were featured at Williamsburg Kia on May 13 and adopted on May 16.

For the month of May 2022, Virginia Green Lawn Care is sponsoring Furry Friends Friday as part of their Find Me a Lawn campaign. Virginia Green’s Buster’s Buddies program is donating $50 to their animal shelter partners including Heritage Humane Society for every pet adopted through May 31, 2022.

Sometimes, even the Furry Friends Friday crew finds their purr-fect connection. Cameraman and 92.3 The Tide Morning Show host, Andy Harris, found his match when he adopted a cat named Liquorice after meeting him in August 2021 during Clear the Shelters.

To inquire about a sponsorship or about adoption, contact the Heritage Humane Society by calling (757) 221-0150. Heritage Humane Society is located at 430 Waller Mill Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185.

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