Tallahassee Fla. (WTXL) - Aloft Tallahassee Downtown partners with the Leon County Humane Society to permanently place pets.
A furry friend will greet Aloft guests from a custom built replica of the hotel in the hotel lobby.
OliverSperry Renovation created the miniature doghouse. It is backed by a hand-painted mural of iconic Tallahassee images such as Florida State University's Doak Campbell Stadium and Florida A & M University's Marching 100.
The Tallahassee Aloft hotel is the third McKibbon hotel to feature the pet-hosting program. The first was a sister property in Asheville, NC.
Brian Schmauch, Director of Sales Coordinating leads the efforts for the Tallahassee venture, and says "The Leon County Humane Society was the perfect partner for us to work with because their staffing and their mission to rescue dogs lined up perfectly with what we are trying to do." To date more than 100 dogs have found their "forever homes" from the McKibbon hospitality program.
Guests who check into the hotel as well as local community residents can spend time with the canine adoptee. Penelope, a three-month-old Sheppard mix is the first resident pup.
Individuals hoping to interact with the adoption candidates must sign a waiver. Once signed, they can spend time together in the lobby or take the dog for a walk around the block or to the hotel green area.
Schmauch says Aloft staff members are tasked with providing on-site care for the animals including food, shelter, water and exercise. Employees do not receive additional pet care training. An experienced animal owner serves as the hotel's lead caretaker.
The Leon County Humane Society remains the sole decision making authority on adoption and will arrange for any necessary veterinary care.
Lisa Glunt, executive director of LCHS, says "The new program is an exciting development for our organization and opens the door for us to match more adopters with homeless pets in Tallahassee while continuing to save more lives."
Aloft Hotels are pet friendly with no pet fees.
The ribbon cutting ceremony features live music from Corey Johnson from 5 - 8 p.m. with Happy Hour from 5 - 6 p.m.
For more information, visit www.alofttallahassee.com.
