How much is that doggie in the window?
Last Friday, the San Francisco SPCA and Macy's revealed their 27th annual Holiday Windows display with help from the cast members from Beach Blanket Babylon on the corner of Stockton and O'Farrell. Holiday shoppers will be joyously distracted by the ridiculously cute puppies and kittens frolicking in the windows. The theme this year will be a spin on the "Iconic Holiday Celebration windows" from 2012, with fun additions and new surprises to the iconic Thanksgiving Day parade floats, Union Square Ice Skating, and more.
In the spirit of the holidays, those looking to welcome a lovable furry friend into their home can meet an animal in need by visiting the SF SPCA Holiday Windows at Macy’s Union Square. (For those who can't make it to Macy’s, the SF SPCA will be waiving the adoption fees for animals adopted on weekdays from the permanent SF SPCA Adoption Center at 250 Florida Street.)
A few fun facts about the immensely successful Holiday Windows showcase:
- More than 8,000 animals have found homes through the annual San Francisco SPCA Holiday Windows.
- During the 2012 Holiday Windows at Macy's Union Square 1,091 volunteers contributed 4,522 hours.
- The first Holiday Windows event, in 1987, was at Gumps department store.
- Girls Scouts in uniform are some of our most successful fundraising volunteers!
- Generally, about eight seasonal SF SPCA staff members are hired to help with Holiday Windows.
- For the past four years the SF SPCA Holiday Window displays have been built in New York by Spaeth Design, then driven to San Francisco where they're reassembled and detail is added. The displays can take up to two weeks to install in the Macy's windows and one week remove.
- The optimal number of animals to take to windows everyday is 24. That way there are two animals in every window and six pairs in the adoption room. Usually this means 20 cats and four dogs.
- Past celebrities who have hosted the Holiday Windows unveiling include Sharon Stone, Dame Edna and Steve Young.
- Live images of the cats and dogs are streamed to the SF SPCA website. Last year, more than 50,000 people viewed the live feeds.
- Every year, Macy's finds a unique way to showcase the adoption count in the corner animation window, which is updated every morning as more pets are adopted.
