For a city that some lists say is not very pet-friendly, San Francisco has for decades used the beauty of the City of St. Francis, and its draw for visitors and locals alike during the holidays to shine a spotlight on dogs and cats available for adoption. 

When I was young, it was a family tradition to spend a day shopping for Christmas gifts in Union Square then wait in line to see the adorable dogs and cats displayed in the windows of the quintessential San Francisco store, Gump's. The backdrops are always elaborate and who doesn't love to see a miniature cityscape filled with puppies and kittens?!

Today Macy's has taken over this role as host and temporary landlord for hundreds of pets ready to find a new home for the new year.  2010 marks Macy's 24th year as hostess.  This winter it's been extra cold and wet in downtown San Francisco.  Hats off to the SPCA volunteers who stood on the cold sidewalk for hours yet maintained welcoming smiles (it was nice to see these pleasant faces mixed with the hordes of hurried shoppers and wandering tourists), and were ready with adoption information.

Macy's works with the SF/SPCA to find homes during the holidays for more than 200 pets by the New Year. This year the SF/SPCA and Macy's Holiday Pet Adoption Windows were instrumental in finding homes for 14 dogs and 281 cats. The 2010 holiday campaign also brought in $71,784 in donations.