Inglewood animal rescue works to keep adopted animals in their homes

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- "Everybody wants to do that surprise factor and you know, give their kids the happiest Christmas ever," Erin Lovejoy said about adopting puppies during the holiday season.

Erin Lovejoy is the founder and director of The Lovejoy Foundation in Inglewood. The foundation has been rescuing and placing animals into loving homes since 2010, and Lovejoy said the holiday time is especially busy.

"There's huge increases during the holiday season, it's just what happens," Lovejoy said. "Of course, during the Christmas season, everyone wants to adopt puppies."

The Lovejoy Foundation not only wants to get animals into homes, but to ensure animals stay in their homes.

"We'll take our dogs back at any time, but the goal is not to have people do that," Lovejoy said. "Me and my team work really hard to get to know the potential adopters to ensure that we're putting the right fits together."

"I sort of discourage them getting a dog for another person without the person meeting the dog because it's a chemical thing. You either connect with a dog or you don't," Sherry Mason, a staff volunteer, said.

At the Lovejoy Foundation they want to make the dogs' transition into new homes as seamless as possible, which is why they offer a few services including one year of necessary medical and two hours of free in-home training.

Jessica Hair is a certified dog trainer and she travels to adopters' homes for training sessions.

"A lot of times dogs wind up being returned because maybe they chewed up a shoe or they're having house training accidents and all that stuff is very easy to remedy," Hair said. "I go into the home, they get two free hours of training with me and if they want more, we provide more training for them and so it's a win-win for everybody."

Lovejoy and Hair stress the importance of their open line of communication so that people never feel like they're alone or can't ask for help.

"We really are about educating people and helping them through that transition and just to make sure they're enjoying their new four-legged family member."

The Lovejoy Foundation holds pet adoptions every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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