PORT WASHINGTON, NY — A 50-year tradition continued today with a second day dedication ceremony for the U.S. Postal Service’s latest social awareness stamp: Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet. The sheet of stamps features photographs of five cats and five dogs from an animal shelter in Connecticut. “With the issuance of these stamps, the Postal Service™ is continuing its long, proud history of raising awareness of important social issues …one letter at a time,” said Cassandra Louie, Postmaster of Port Washington, NY. Our goal is to increase public awareness of the problem and to promote humane and responsible pet care”
“The second day ceremony is one of thousands being held around the country and with North Shore Animal League America right here in Port Washington, the location couldn’t be more purr-fect,” said USPS Triboro District Manager, Executive-In-Charge, Vito J. Cetta. “Prospective adoptive pet owners “can help the nationwide rescue effort right here at home, by adopting one or more of these furry companions ready for delivery into a loving home.”
North Shore Animal League America, headquartered in Port Washington, NY, is the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization. The Animal League reaches across the country to rescue, nurture and adopt approximately 18,000 pets into happy and loving homes every year. Since its founding 1944, it has placed close to 1 million puppies, kittens, cats and dogs into carefully screened homes.
Joann Yohannan, Senior, Vice President of Operations, North Shore Animal League America added “There are millions of homeless pets in shelters across our country that are seeking permanent homes and are facing the risk of euthanasia due to overcrowding. North Shore Animal League America is proud to support a program that will raise public awareness of the plight of homeless animals and ultimately save lives.”
The Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet stamps were originally unveiled on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on March 17. The Postal Service has been working with DeGeneres and Halo: Purely for Pets, a company she co-owns, to promote the stamps and to bring greater attention to the cause. Stamps to the Rescue is the name of the promotional campaign the Postal Service created to provide additional information about the stamps and information on the importance of pet adoption. Every year, 6 to 8 million cats and dogs enter animal shelters, and of that number, nearly half are euthanized. Although the problem seems overwhelming, the key to the solution is adopting a shelter pet when seeking a new companion animal and ensuring that the animal is spayed or neutered. Cats and dogs have been featured on a few other U.S. postage stamps. A 13-cent stamp of a kitten and puppy playing in the snow was issued in 1982 for use on Christmas season postcards. In 1998, images of a cat and a dog were included in the Bright Eyes set of five pets. The animals featured on the Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet commemorative stamps are photographs of cats and dogs from a shelter in New Milford, Connecticut, taken by veteran stamp photographer Sally Andersen-Bruce. Derry Noyes was the designer and art director.
How to Order the First Day of Issue Postmark
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™, at The Postal Store® at www.usps.com/shop or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes to themselves or others and place them in a larger envelope addressed to: Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet Stamps c/o Postmaster 7035 Laurel Canyon Blvd. Hollywood, CA 91605-9998 After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the U.S. Mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by June 1, 2010.
How to Order First-Day Covers
Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers first day covers for new stamp issuances and Postal Service stationery items post-marked with the official first day of issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quar-terly USA Philatelic Catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-STAMP-24 or by writing to: Information Fulfillment Dept. 6270 U.S. Postal Service PO Box 219014 Kansas City, MO 64121-901422
There are 10 philatelic products available for this stamp issuance:
- 576094 Adopt a Shelter Pet Note Cards $12.95
- 576077 All About Your Best Friend Book (Dog) $14.95
- 576078 All About Your Best Friend Book (Cat) $14.95
- 576068 Digital Color Postmark First Day Covers, Set of 10 $15.00
- 576071 Pet Adoption Certificate w/stamp & cancellation (Dog) $ 4.95
- 576072 Pet Adoption Certificate w/stamp & cancellation (Cat) $ 4.95
- 576099 Adopt a Shelter Pet Cancellation Keepsakes (1-cat, 1-dog) $11.95
- 576063 First Day Covers, Set of 10 $ 8.20
- 576091 Ceremony Program $ 6.95
- 576084 Uncut Press Sheet $70.40
The Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet commemorative stamps feature photographs of five cats and five dogs taken by veteran stamp photographer Sally Andersen-Bruce. All ten animals were adopted from a shelter in New Milford, CT.
Cats and dogs have been featured on other U.S. postage stamps. A 13-cent stamp of a kitten and puppy playing in the snow was issued in 1982 for use on holiday postcards, in 1998, images of a cat and a dog were included in the "Bright Eyes" set of five pets, and most recently, in 2002, photographs of a kitten and puppy were featured on the “Neuter or Spay” stamps.
Every year, 6 to 8 million cats and dogs enter animal shelters, and of that number, nearly half are euthanized. Although the problem seems overwhelming, the key to the solution is adopting a shelter pet when seeking a new companion and ensuring that the animal is spayed or neutered.
Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet is the Postal Service’s 2010 social awareness stamp. Past social awareness stamps have highlighted important issues such as children’s health, literacy, breast cancer awareness, organ and tissue donation, philanthropy and Alzheimer’s awareness.
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